Secret Service preps to add spikes to White House fence

Washington (CNN)Secret Service and National Park Service officials are prepping for upgrades to the White House fence after several embarrassing security lapses in recent months.

Authorities are preparing to add 7-inch steel spikes to the top of the fence to deter climbers. The actual installation work won't begin until this summer, but officials on Thursday were checking the specifications for the spikes.

As a result, the sidewalk along the fence was closed until early Thursday afternoon, the Secret Service said.

The installation is planned for July and will take about four weeks, the Secret Service said. It's a temporary measure as the agency reviews designs for long-term changes to make the White House fence more difficult to scale.

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