The Trump administration plans to begin excavation for a 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington DC within the next two weeks, despite the project lacking final approval from a key federal planning body and facing a legal challenge.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said work on the proposed “Great Triumphal Arch and Military Observation Deck” at Memorial Circle would begin shortly. The site lies between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, at the Virginia end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
The National Capital Planning Commission approved the location and preliminary plans in July, but has not yet granted final approval. The commission is not expected to consider the project again until early October.
The administration has said the initial work will involve archaeological surveys rather than construction. Court filings indicate that workers will mechanically excavate four test pits to examine the soil and recover any artefacts, with work due to start no earlier than September 21.
The White House said the activity would not require approval and was intended to support the wider review process. It added that the administration would continue seeking final authorisation from all relevant bodies.
The planned arch has already received approval from the US Commission of Fine Arts. But reviews covering aviation safety and historic preservation remain outstanding, while opponents argue that congressional approval is also required.
Three military veterans and an architectural historian, represented by the watchdog group Public Citizen, have sued to stop the project. They say the structure would damage the historic setting and sightlines around Arlington National Cemetery and that the administration lacks the legal authority to proceed.
The plaintiffs have asked a federal judge to block any activity connected with construction at Memorial Circle. The judge has ordered the administration to give 48 hours’ notice before carrying out work there other than archaeological information-gathering, while a separate order requires two weeks’ notice before any construction or demolition.
Renderings show a white-and-gold structure topped by gilded figures. The administration says the arch is intended to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence.
