⚠️ The public comment period has been reopened. New deadline: July 30th. Submit your comment now — it takes three minutes.
When the public comment period on the DC Triumphal Arch opened in June, we had 10 days. Ten days to weigh in on a proposal that would permanently alter one of the most historically significant views in the country. I called Priya Jain, Chair of the Heritage Conservation Committee for the Society of Architectural Historians, and we recorded an episode immediately. Thousands of you showed up and commented. Thank you.
The comment period has been reopened. New deadline: July 30th.
I think that says something. Ten days wasn’t enough — and enough people pushed back that the window had to be extended. That matters. It means the public record is being built and people are paying attention. Now we have until Thursday to make that record even stronger.
If you already commented — thank you. Share this page so others can.
If you haven’t yet — now is your moment. It takes three minutes and becomes part of the permanent public and legal record. Every comment counts. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is being proposed
A 250-foot Triumphal Arch is proposed for Memorial Circle in Washington DC — on the Arlington side of Memorial Bridge, within the George Washington Memorial Parkway, administered by the National Park Service.
The proposed location sits directly in the center of one of the most intentionally designed viewsheds in America. The axis connecting the Lincoln Memorial to Arlington House — across Memorial Bridge — was not accidental. It was designed in 1901 by some of the most important architects and landscape architects of their time, specifically as a monument to reconciliation between the North and the South. The Lincoln Memorial representing the North. Arlington House — once the home of Robert E. Lee — representing the South. The bridge and the views between them were meant to say: our country has moved past that.
A 250-foot arch — more than double the height of the Lincoln Memorial — placed directly in the center of that view would permanently block it.
5 things to know
1. This view was designed on purpose.
The reciprocal sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House is not scenery — it is a monument in itself. Standing at either end you see the other across the Potomac. That design was deliberate and has been protected by the National Park Service in every planning document for over a century.
2. A 2024 NPS planning document explicitly said no.
A cultural landscape report for the Memorial Avenue corridor completed in 2024 stated clearly that no permanent monument should be placed within Memorial Circle. This proposal ignores that guidance entirely.
3. The process has been bypassed at every turn.
The public was given 10 days to comment on a project that typically receives 30 to 45 days. The National Trust for Historic Preservation applied to be a consulting party in the Section 106 process and has still not been granted that status.
4. There are serious legal and safety concerns beyond the history.
The proposed arch would violate Washington DC’s Height of Buildings Act — a law applied to every other project in the capital. The NCPC chair, a presidential appointee, has claimed it simply doesn’t apply here. That is unprecedented. Aviation safety near Reagan National Airport is also an unresolved concern.
5. Your voice still matters even after the comment deadline.
Public comments are now part of the permanent record and can be used to strengthen legal challenges. The NCPC vote on final approval has not happened. And Priya Jain has agreed to return to The Parks Podcast the moment there is a development to report. Stay tuned.
How to take action
Step 1 — Submit your comment before July 31st
The comment period has been reopened. Go directly to parkplanning.nps.gov and submit your comment before end of day July 31st. It takes three minutes and becomes part of the permanent public and legal record.
If you already commented — thank you. Share this page so others can too.
Step 2 — Write your own comment for more impact
A personal comment carries more weight than a form submission. In your own words say why this view matters to you, why the process concerns you, and what you want the government to do differently.
Step 3 — Contact your representatives
congress.gov/members/find-your-member — call or write and ask where they stand.
Step 4 — Share this page
The comment window is short. Every share gets more voices into the record.
Listen to the episode
I talked with Priya Jain — Chair of the Heritage Conservation Committee for the Society of Architectural Historians and Associate Professor at Texas A&M University — in an urgent episode recorded just before the public comment deadline.
Listen to Episode 72 — DC Triumphal Arch: What You Need to Know →
Who is fighting for this viewshed
Society of Architectural Historians (SAH)
The leading scholarly organization dedicated to the study and preservation of the built environment. Priya Jain’s Heritage Conservation Committee submitted a formal letter opposing the arch and urging the government to consider alternate designs.
sah.org
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Applied to be a Section 106 consulting party — still awaiting that status. Actively engaged in opposing the proposal.
savingplaces.org
National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC)
The federal agency that must vote on final approval. Their decision is still pending.
ncpc.gov
National Park Service — George Washington Memorial Parkway
The land where the arch would be built is administered by NPS.
nps.gov/gwmp
Stay informed
Priya Jain has agreed to return to The Parks Podcast when the NCPC votes on final approval. That episode will go live immediately when there is something to report. Subscribe to In the Parks on Substack so you don’t miss it.
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See you in the parks. 🌲
— Missy