District of Columbia

Media Release



By Stephen Staudigl June 05, 2026

NCPC Provides Comments on the New Monumental Arch

At its Thursday, June 4 meeting the National Capital Planning Commission provided comments on concept plans submitted by the U.S. Department of the Interior for a New Monumental Arch. The arch would be located in Memorial Circle on Columbia Island, located at the west terminus of Arlington Memorial Bridge in Washington, DC. The applicant said the arch would celebrate the triumphs of the American people, inspire patriotism and love of country, and beautify the nation’s capital. The overall height from the base to the top of the statuary would be 250 feet.

The Commission noted the project’s overall purpose and requested several pieces of information from the applicant for the next stage of review. Included in this is a transportation or traffic study that identifies any potential impacts on the road network and level of service and evaluates proposed pedestrian access. They recommended that the applicant work with the Federal Highway Administration and other appropriate agencies regarding any proposed surface transportation network changes. Commissioners also requested information about parking and loading/unloading for arch visitors to ensure safe access while minimizing traffic disruptions.

The Commission also requested a justification of the project’s height in light of the Height of Buildings Act and requested the applicant continue coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration and provide an update as part of the next review. Commissioners supported the use of a seat wall as a security feature around the arch plaza and asked for information about the proposed arch and site materials palette, including cladding, paving, pedestrian features, and security elements, as well as the proposed lighting strategy.

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Commission actions and related materials are available online.