Commission Approves Final Design for 250-Foot Arch Near Arlington Cemetery
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The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) voted Thursday to grant final approval to a proposed 250-foot triumphal arch between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. The design changes include removing gold lion sculptures from the base and altering pedestrian access. The National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to discuss the project next month.
Facts First
- The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) gave final approval to a 250-foot arch proposed for a traffic circle in Virginia.
- The design was modified to remove four gold lion sculptures and change pedestrian access from an underground tunnel to surface walkways.
- The project faces opposition, with 99.5% of approximately 600 public comments submitted to the CFA being against it.
- A lawsuit filed by veterans and a historian seeks to block the arch, citing disruption of a historic sightline.
- The National Capital Planning Commission will discuss the structure at its next monthly meeting on June 4.
What Happened
The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) voted Thursday to grant final approval to the design of a proposed 250-foot triumphal arch. The arch is planned for a traffic circle on the Virginia side of the Potomac River, between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. The CFA had granted preliminary approval to the concept in April. At Thursday's meeting, lead architect Nicolas Charbonneau reported design changes, including removing four gold lion sculptures from the base and changing pedestrian access from an underground tunnel to surface-level walkways. The design retains 84-foot gilded statues of a winged Lady Liberty and a pair of eagles on top. Commission Secretary Thomas Luebke stated that approximately 600 people wrote in regarding the project, with 99.5% of them in opposition.
Why this Matters to You
If you visit or live near Washington, D.C., the landscape of the National Mall area may change. The proposed arch is larger than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and would introduce a new, prominent monument between two existing national landmarks. You may have access to a public observation deck on top providing 360-degree views if the project proceeds. The ongoing legal and planning processes mean the final outcome is not yet determined.
What's Next
The National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to discuss the structure at its next monthly meeting on June 4. A separate lawsuit filed earlier this year by a group of Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian to block the arch remains active. The administration has argued in court filings that Congress authorized the arch when it approved a design for columns at the same location in 1925, while a report from the Congressional Research Service concluded that congressional authorization is required. Preliminary surveys and testing of the arch site began last week.