President Donald Trump’s proposed victory arch in the capital includes an observation deck at the top — but it’s unclear how anyone will access the monument, which is planned for the middle of a busy roundabout in Washington, D.C.
The 250-foot structure, a source of controversy for months, is scheduled to be reviewed Thursday by a federal panel, a step that could clear the way for construction to begin.
The arch, which bears a strong resemblance to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, would be built in Memorial Circle, a roundabout at the end of Arlington Memorial Bridge, which spans the Potomac River and connects Virginia to the capital.
Architectural drawings released by federal officials in April reveal a towering white arch outfitted with internal stairs and elevators to carry visitors to an open-air terrace overlooking the city.
“This vantage point, which affords visitors 360-degree views of Washington, D.C., and Virginia, raises the human above the traffic,” Nicolas Leo Charbonneau, the classical architect spearheading the project from Harrison Design, told government officials in May, according to The Washington Post.
Each day, 80 visitors would be permitted inside the arch per hour, he said, according to The New York Times.
According to the Post, Harrison Design had recommended building a pedestrian tunnel that would permit visitors to access the arch without crossing traffic. But the Commission of Fine Arts, which serves in an advisory role, opposed this idea, so the firm altered plans to include four pedestrian crosswalks.
Memorial Circle currently has no pedestrian crossings, and it remains unclear how traffic lights would affect the flow of vehicles.
Last month, Representative Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat, wrote a letter to the Trump administration expressing serious concerns about how the arch could impact traffic. He noted that the bridge it serves handles nearly 70,000 vehicles each day.
“With the size of the project and the site’s location between Arlington Memorial Bridge and Arlington National Cemetery, the proposed construction would have significant traffic impacts on my Northern Virginia constituents,” Beyer wrote to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
“My constituents and the residents and visitors who would be impacted by this project deserve consideration in this matter,” he added. “And they deserve answers about how the actions of your departments would affect their lives.”
A spokesperson for the Interior Department told The Independent that multiple agencies are coordinating on the arch project and its traffic impacts.
“In an effort to increase pedestrian and vehicle safety as well as efficient movement for both, we have conducted detailed traffic modeling and simulations to better understand the impacts of different contemplated traffic flows,” the spokesperson said.
“After construction of the Arch, traffic delays will be minimized to the time needed to safely accommodate pedestrian crossings and the flow of traffic,” they added. “Thanks to the brilliant forethought of President Donald J. Trump, this will improve the local driver and visitor experience in our nation’s capital.”
The Independent has reached out to Harrison Design, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the Transportation Department for comment.
The arch has sparked debate since Trump unveiled plans to build it in October 2025.
The 79-year-old president said the towering monument is meant to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. However, when asked by a journalist who the arch was for, he replied: “Me — it’s going to be beautiful.”
Renderings feature a winged figure at the top, four lion statues, and the inscription “One Nation Under God” emblazoned across the facade.
Axios reported in November that the arch could cost about $100 million, some of which will be paid by taxpayers, according to a CBS News report citing a government spending plan.
In recent months, several lawsuits have been filed to stop the monument from being erected, including one by a group of Vietnam veterans. They argue the arch lacks the required congressional approval and would obstruct historic views.
According to an April Ipsos survey, 52 percent of Americans are opposed to the arch, while just 21 percent support it.
In late May, the Commission of Fine Arts — filled with Trump appointees — approved the president’s planned arch. And on Thursday, another panel stocked with Trump’s deputies, the National Capital Planning Commission, is set to review the designs.
If approved and built, the arch would join a growing list of construction and restoration projects undertaken by Trump in Washington, D.C., including his $400 million White House ballroom and the Trump-Kennedy Center renovations.
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