Described as "pencil protrusions," the spikes are meant to stop fence jumpers and intruders from making their way inside the White House, after a man jumped the fence and ended up in the East Room.
— Erik Bransteen (@erikbransteen) April 17, 2015
The temporary plan is expected to get approved by the National Capital Planning Commission on May 7. The Commission will be discussing a permanent measure later this year, allowing construction to start in late 2016.
"The United States Secret Service and National Park Service take the security of the White House grounds seriously and are working hand-in-hand to develop an appropriate barrier that will satisfy the individual missions of each agency, which include ensuring the security of the White House and its occupants, while keeping the White House and grounds as accessible as possible to the public," an NPS official told CBS News.
"We are working with our partners to develop, as quickly as possible, both interim and long-term solutions that meet today's security needs while respecting the historic setting and significance of the White House. We have developed an effective interim solution for the White House fence consisting of a removable anti-climb feature that attaches to the existing fence. The interim solution enhances security without affecting the visitor's experience."
Other officials are concerned that the additions might come off as intimidating.
"I want to see those spikes to make sure they don't look so foreboding that people who visit the White House will figure they shouldn't be there," Eleanor Holmes Norton, DC Del. to Congress said.
The new measures come in response to several White House security breaches, including a four-year-old child, climbing under a temporary bike rack on Sunday, putting the presidential residence under lockdown.
