Triumphal Arch final plans submitted by Interior Department to National Capital Planning Commission
The Department of Interior has submitted its final plans for President Donald Trump’s proposed Triumphal Arch to the National Capital Planning Commission for its review, including updated traffic and lighting plans.
The plan, which also refers to the project as the Monumental Arch, includes a golden winged statue resembling the Statue of Liberty standing on top of the 25-story-tall arch holding a torch with the so-called "eternal flame." The Interior Department says this design is being proposed so the flame can be visible from all angles, including at night, while maintaining visual comfort for drivers and visitors and the surrounding environment, according to NCPC’s project summary.
The placement of the eternal flame is also required by the Federal Aviation Administration after its safety review of the proposed structure, making it visible to pilots. The FAA determined last month that the structure would not pose a hazard to aircraft flying in the area. The agency initially said the arch would require "red obstruction lights" for aviation safety.
Other changes reflected in the final plan include the removal of 15 traffic signal posts that were initially proposed, and changes to the traffic circulation routes. It also states that environmental and historical considerations were reviewed by relevant government agencies and determined to have no significant impact.
A commission meeting is scheduled for Nov. 5, where the plans will be reviewed for final approval, according to the project summary.
The arch would be built at the foot of Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac River on National Park Service land. Since President Trump first announced its planned construction in October 2025, it has faced numerous legal and other challenges by parties opposed to its location and the alleged negative effect they assert it would have on the surrounding area.
The proposed arch would be more than twice as tall as the 99-foot Lincoln Memorial and taller than France's Arc de Triomphe.
The administration acknowledged last month that the arch, which would sit along the Potomac River at the foot of Arlington National Cemetery, would cause "adverse effects" on the setting and views along the river. But the administration also said those impacts "cannot be fully avoided" because the arch's location is "central to the undertaking."
The president also stated last month on his social media platform that the arch is being built for national security purposes at the Pentagon's request, claiming that it would also be used as a "top-grade Military Complex." The Pentagon declined to comment on the president's claim in response to an ABC News request.
The National Park Service plans to have construction take place 20 hours per day over the next two to three years, according to planning documents released earlier this year by the Interior Department.
