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Published on July 16, 2026
Recently, several Arlington County departments were contacted by federal agencies to provide comments on the proposed Triumphal Arch at Memorial Circle in Washington, D.C. While the location is on federal land, not in Arlington, the County’s proximity to the proposed site makes Arlington a key consulting party in this project.
Staff from the County’s Historic Preservation Program provided comments to the National Park Services, and staff from the Department of Environmental Services, Arlington County Fire Department, and the Planning Division provided comments to the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC).
In their comments, staff cited significant concerns with the overall review process and the impacts on public safety, transportation, and historic resources. Staff specifically noted that the increased multimodal traffic anticipated raise serious concerns with pedestrian safety, parking, and traffic circulation, with no plans to study or address those issues. Additionally, staff noted that the proposed height of the arch would extend past the height limitations established for safe airplane travel to and from Reagan National Airport. Staff encouraged the federal government to follow the 1902 McMillan Plan that guides the design and layout of Washington, D.C. and to fully consider the negative impact the arch would have on that plan.