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The commission voted June 4 to request additional details on height, lighting, storm water and traffic impacts for the monument planned between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
pbs.orgThe National Capital Planning Commission voted June 4 to seek more information from the Department of the Interior on a proposed 250-foot arch planned between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The vote followed a nearly three-hour meeting that included public comment from about 20 people. Most commission members supported the request for additional details.
The commission asked for justification of the arch’s height, information on lighting, storm-water management, and plans for regulating traffic and parking. Preliminary surveys and testing at the site began in May.
U.S. Commission of Fine Arts has already approved the design. The National Capital Planning Commission is the next federal body whose approval is required for construction on federal land. ” The commission has received 1,700 public comments, most opposing the project.
Concerns cited include the structure’s scale, obstruction of views, and safety in a heavily trafficked area. The arch would rise 250 feet from base to a torch held by a Lady Liberty-like figure, flanked by two gilded eagles. Four lions once planned to guard the base have been removed.
Inscriptions of “One Nation Under God” and “Liberty and Justice for All” would appear in gold lettering, and both east- and west-facing sides would carry the text of the Pledge of Allegiance. A public observation deck would offer 360-degree views, and the exterior would be granite.
The structure would be more than twice the height of the 99-foot Lincoln Memorial and roughly half the height of the 555-foot Washington Monument.
President Trump said last year that private donations remaining from a ballroom project could help pay for the arch. A White House official said a mix of taxpayer and private funds is expected to cover costs, though a final estimate is still being prepared.
A group of veterans and a historian have sued the Trump administration in federal court to block construction, citing concerns over sightlines between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House.
The Trump administration also announced June 4 that renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which added a blue coating, is complete and ready to be filled with water.
nbcnews.comPresident Trump will meet Wednesday with executives from the largest U.S. defense contractors. The session follows a March White House gathering and administration steps to increase weapons output while curbing shareholder returns.
U.S. and Iranian officials met in Switzerland with mediators from Pakistan and Qatar. Vice President J.D. Vance said progress occurred on a potential long-term nuclear deal. President Trump warned Iran against proxy actions in Lebanon or closing the Strait of Hormuz.
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