Travel briefs for April 29

Barnum museum
will partially reopen

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — A museum celebrating showman P.T. Barnum has reopened as work continues to repair damage caused by the tornado that hit Bridgeport in 2010.

The museum that sustained millions of dollars’ worth of damage will be open two days a week beginning Thursday.

Visitors will be able to see many of the artifacts that have already been restored and watch as a conservator works on others that were damaged by the tornado.

Kathy Maher is executive director and curator for The Barnum Museum. She said the idea is to consider the building itself as a work of art.

It is expected to take another two years to complete the restoration.

Built in the 1890s, the building is owned by the city and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Gargoyle tours restart in Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington National Cathedral will be offering tours of its unique stone carvings for the first time since the building was damaged by an earthquake last year.

Tours exploring more than 100 gargoyles perched on the cathedral’s facade will begin again Sunday at 2 p.m. The gargoyles include monsters, dogs and horses, as well as “Star Wars” villain Darth Vader.

The cathedral had to suspend the tour, as well as other regular events, following a 5.8-magnitude earthquake on Aug. 23. The quake caused stonework to fall from the building’s towers and other damage. The cathedral reopened to the public in November.

Repairs are expected to take years. As of February 2012, the cathedral had raised $2 million toward the estimated $20 million restoration.

Utah leaders support
ski lift connection

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce is organizing a coalition to push for a ski lift that would connect two Utah resorts if Congress goes along with a sale of national forest land.

The chamber is enlisting notable Utah figures who say it’s the start of something big — the first lift connection among the cluster of Wasatch resorts. Together they could make for North America’s largest skiing complex.

Jake Garn — former U.S. senator, Navy pilot and astronaut — says a gondola connecting the Canyons and Solitude resorts would allow people to ski both sides of the Wasatch mountains without driving around.

The LIFT UTAH coalition was announced Tuesday as 40 backcountry skiers and environmentalists stood outside the Salt Lake chamber to protest the development of high alpine terrain where the snow piles deep.

Sea-Tac tries faster security program

SEATAC, Wash. (AP) — Next time you’re at an airport how would you like to speed through the security line without taking off your shoes and belt or removing laptops and liquids from carry-on bags?

The Transportation Security Administration is starting an expedited screening program Tuesday for some passengers on Alaska Airlines at Sea-Tac Airport.

It’s called PreCheck.

The only Sea-Tac travelers eligible for now are members of Alaska’s frequent-flier program invited by the airline and pre-approved by TSA. Also members of expedited border crossing programs run by the Customs and Border Protection, such as Nexus.

Grand Teton roads and facilities to open

MOOSE, Wyo. (AP) — Roads and facilities in Grand Teton National Park and on the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway are set to start opening next week for the summer season.

The Teton Park Road will open to vehicle traffic on May 1. Motorists are advised to be alert for migrating wildlife throughout the park.

The Jenny Lake Visitor Center is scheduled to open May 18. The Jenny Lake Ranger Station and Colter Bay Visitor Center will open on May 26.

Ranger-led activities begin on June 4.

The Gros Ventre (GROW’ vawnt) Campground is to open May 4, with Signal Mountain and Jenny Lake campgrounds opening May 11. Colter Bay Campground opens May 24.

The Headwaters Campground and RV Sites open June 1. And Lizard Creek opens June 8.