National Park Service backs Trump’s 250-foot arch despite ‘adverse effects’ on historic sites
The park service is backing the arch, despite finding that it would adversely affect historic sightlines and other visual relationships among nearby landmarks.
TL;DR
- The National Park Service supports the location and scale of President Trump's proposed 250-foot Triumphal Arch.
- The agency's report states the arch would reflect the site's intended character and celebrate 250 years of American independence.
- The arch is planned for Memorial Circle near the Arlington National Cemetery.
- The National Park Service found that the arch would adversely affect historic properties and sightlines, including landmarks like the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument.
- These adverse effects are related to changes in views and the skyline, not physical damage.
- The agency believes alternative locations would sever the project from its historic planning rationale.
- The proposed arch, at 250 feet, would be more than double the height of the Lincoln Memorial.
- The park service received over 100,000 public comments during initial consultations.