Monumental Arch
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Public Comment Period
The National Park Service is accepting public comments on the proposed Monumental Arch until Thursday, July 30.
Public Comments
The U.S. Department of the Interior has submitted plans for a new proposed Monumental Arch at Memorial Circle on the George Washington Memorial Parkway, near Arlington National Cemetery and along the Potomac River.
One of America’s most sacred landscapes, the vista from the Lincoln Memorial, across Arlington Memorial Bridge, to Arlington National Cemetery and Arlington House communicates the magnitude of the Civil War, the obligation its unimaginable cost imposes on all Americans, and the aspiration of a post-Civil War reconciliation in a new birth of freedom.
It is because this viewshed carries so much meaning to the country that the National Trust has raised concerns about the proposed Monumental Arch, whose scale, location, and design will disrupt this important visual and symbolic vista. In addition, the Arch will dwarf the Lincoln Memorial and disrupt the long, open, and uninterrupted viewsheds, overwhelming the entry to Arlington National Cemetery—the hallowed resting place of 400,000 veterans and their families and a powerful reminder of American military sacrifice, selfless service, and national unity, all within sight of the monumental core of the Nation’s Capital.
Since our nation’s founding, Americans have understood the symbolic power of Washington, D.C. Our capital city is a planned city. In their design, context, and relationship to each other, our most meaningful buildings and monuments communicate our system of government and the principles on which it is based. Achieving this requires deep respect for what has gone before and careful planning, in measured steps that honor our history and our aspirations.
The legally required federal review process is on-going and continued public participation is essential.
How to Submit Written Comments
Public Comment Deadline: Thursday, July 30, at 11:59 PM MT.
- Visit the NPS project page for "Triumphal Arch at Memorial Circle".
- Select "Open for Comment" in the left hand sidebar.
- Select "Triumphal Arch - Section 106 Assessment of Effect and Draft Programmatic Agreement".
- Select either of the two buttons labelled "Comment Now".
- Written comments may be submitted online as plain text.
National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC)
- Monumental Arch project was on the agenda for the July 9 meeting. Materials are available on the NCPC website.
- The meeting recording is available on the NCPC video page.
U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA)
- The CFA reviewed a concept design proposal for the new Monumental Arch during the May 21 meeting and approved the overall building plans, while deferring their review of certain decorative sculptural elements.
- Materials for this meeting including submitted documents are available on the CFA website.
Resources and Information
- National Trust Comments to NPS as Section 106 Consulting Party (July 19, 2026)
- Public Testimony of Rob Nieweg Before the National Capital Planning Commission (July 9, 2026)
- National Trust Comments to NPS on Section 106 Assessment of Effects Report and Draft Programmatic Agreement (June 15, 2026)
- Public Testimony of Carol Quillen Before the National Capital Planning Commission (June 4, 2026)
- Comments Submitted by David Scott Parker, FAIA to NCPC (June 4, 2026)
- Comments Submitted by Carol Quillen on behalf of the National Trust to CFA (May 20, 2026)
- Comments Submitted by Elizabeth Merritt on behalf of the National Trust to CFA (May 21, 2026)
- National Trust Letter Regarding Proposed Monumental Arch at Memorial Circle (April 15, 2026)
- For the People: National Identity Through 5 D.C. Civic Landmarks