One of President Donald Trump’s pet projects to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence is set to be built on a vigorously demanding construction schedule.
The soaring triumphal arch, designed to sit between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, would require a 20-hour-a-day work schedule over two to three years, according to National Park Service documents published in the Federal Register. Plans for the monument indicate it will be a five-level structure, with an observation deck and a mezzanine level that could contain exhibit space, restrooms, a café, and a gift shop.
“Construction of the Arch would occur in multiple phases over an approximately two-to-three year period,” the documents read. “Work would occur year-round, with work occurring in two 10-hour shifts per day (20 hours per day, year-round) for the duration of the construction period.”
The 250-foot arch is believed to be Trump’s idea, which he proposed last fall in anticipation of the semiquincentennial “to celebrate 250 years of American independence.” It strongly resembles the Washington Square Park arch in Manhattan and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The main structure height lies at around 160 feet but rises to the 250-foot figure when accounting for the soaring gold-winged figure and two eagles atop the structure.
The three main federal entities charged with approving the arch appear to be amenable to moving the project forward.
The arch has already cleared some initial hurdles, receiving final approval from the Commission of Fine Arts in May. The Federal Aviation Administration seemed to be favorable to the project in its preliminary review, which was completed Wednesday. The National Capital Planning Commission also appears ready to grant future approval, though its chairman called on Trump’s team last week to issue a legal rationale for why it should not have to comply with a federal law that restricts how tall buildings can be in Washington.
Some opposition has arisen against the arch, with critics calling for extensive environmental reviews regarding the proposed monument’s impact. Much of the pushback stems from fears that the triumphal arch would erode Washington’s historical views and the belief that it should require congressional approval. Vietnam War veterans brought a lawsuit challenging the arch’s construction in February, citing both concerns. The judge in the case has not yet issued a ruling on the project’s legality.
“The planned Arch, by obstructing the symbolic and inspiring view from Arlington National Cemetery to the Lincoln Memorial, would dishonor their military and foreign service and the legacy of their comrades and other veterans buried at Arlington National Cemetery,” court filings read.
FOUR FORMER PRESIDENTS UNITE WITH HOPEFUL MESSAGE AHEAD OF AMERICA 250
The latest NPS documents published argue that the arch is based partly on a historical vision for Washington, citing city planners from the 1920s and ’30s who considered building two 166-foot fluted columns in the space “with winged victory figures.”
“Additional proposals included monumental pavilions, fountains, balustrades, Greek temples, and cross-axis roadway compositions before the design was gradually simplified through the 1930s into the existing traffic rotary configuration designed principally by landscape architect Gilmore D. Clarke,” the documents read.