Story perspectives

Excavation to begin in two weeks on 250-foot arch

9/4/2026

Left

Government Starts Excavation

The government will begin excavation within two weeks on a 250-foot arch at Memorial Circle near Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
Critics, including the National Parks Conservation Association and Rep. Don Beyer, deem the project illegal for bypassing congressional and preservation reviews.
Veterans suing say arch would block view from Lincoln Memorial to Arlington Cemetery.
The project proceeds despite missing congressional authorization and incomplete FAA and preservation reviews.

Right

Burgum Starts Arch

Excavation will begin two weeks on Columbia Island for a 250-foot triumphal arch at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
The administration touts the arch as a long-awaited national symbol that will give the capital a landmark comparable to those in major world cities.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced the start and posted mock-up images on X.
Three veterans and an architectural historian sued, claiming the project lacks congressional authorization.

Center

Government Excavates Arch

The government will start excavation in two weeks on a 250-foot arch at Memorial Circle near Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
The Justice Department filed a brief asking a judge to dismiss the veterans’ lawsuit claiming the project lacks congressional authorization.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum called the arch a major piece of American architecture.
The FAA is studying the arch’s impact on D.C. airspace and may require red lights.

History

Historical Context

After the Washington Monument’s 1848-1884 construction left the capital’s skyline dominated by a 555-foot obelisk, the 1910 Height of Buildings Act kept later structures low. Now Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch on Columbia Island revives the long-standing debate over federal monuments, prompting lawsuits from veterans, the National Parks Conservation Association, and Lincoln Memorial view advocates.

1 of 4

Government Starts Excavation

The government will begin excavation within two weeks on a 250-foot arch at Memorial Circle near Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
Critics, including the National Parks Conservation Association and Rep. Don Beyer, deem the project illegal for bypassing congressional and preservation reviews.
Veterans suing say arch would block view from Lincoln Memorial to Arlington Cemetery.
The project proceeds despite missing congressional authorization and incomplete FAA and preservation reviews.

1 / 4