Park Service warns of impacts from Trump’s proposed 250-foot arch
Park Service warns Trump’s 250-ft arch would overshadow Lincoln Memorial, Arlington and the National Mall
The National Park Service believes President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot-tall arch in the Washington DC area would have a negative impact on dozens of other historic sites in the region.
The “Triumphal Arch,” which would tower over the nearby Lincoln Memorial, is to be built on Memorial Circle in Arlington, Virginia, just blocks away from the National Mall in DC.
Trump announced plans last year to build the arch as part of the country’s 250th birthday celebrations, but the towering structure has faced opposition from some critics.
A lawsuit was filed in February by four veterans who criticized that the arch would disrupt landscape views around the National Mall and Arlington National Cemetery, as well as interfering with air travel and traffic in the area.
Now, the Park Service is addressing some of the same concerns. Here’s what we know.
What did the Park Service say about Trump’s arch?
In its assessment of the proposed arch, the National Park Service said it would have adverse effects on dozens of historic properties throughout the DC region because it would alter characteristics that qualify them for the National Register of Historic Places.
“The undertaking … would result in impacts to the integrity of historic properties through the alteration of character-defining visual and spatial relationships that contribute to their significance,” the Park Service said.
According to the report, the greatest impacts would be felt along the Memorial Avenue Corridor, Lady Bird Johnson Park, Arlington Memorial Bridge, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington House, the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall.
The Park Service said those locations derive much of their historic significance from their views across the Potomac River and their symbolic connections to one another.
The agency also found the arch would affect the Washington Monument, Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, East and West Potomac Park, Arlington Ridge Park, Fort Myer and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial’s cultural landscape by altering views and historic settings.
The report said additional archaeological investigations may be necessary before construction to determine whether buried historic resources could be affected by the project.
Will Trump’s arch still be built?
While the assessment raises concerns about the arch’s potential impact, it does not prevent the project from moving forward.
Officials will now enter the next phase of the review process, which will examine possible ways to minimize damage to historic sites before a final decision is made.
The project must receive approval by the National Capital Planning Commission before construction can begin.
Mike Stunson is a Washington DC-based reporter writing all things trending, breaking and DMV related for USA TODAY’s DC Connect Team.