President Donald Trump's proposed victory arch in Washington, D.C., includes an observation deck at the top, but questions persist about how visitors will access the monument, which is planned for the middle of a busy roundabout.
Design and Access Issues
The 250-foot structure, which has been a source of controversy for months, is scheduled for review Thursday by a federal panel, a step that could clear the way for construction. The arch, resembling the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, would be built in Memorial Circle, a roundabout at the end of Arlington Memorial Bridge connecting Virginia to the capital.
Architectural drawings released in April reveal a towering white arch with internal stairs and elevators to carry visitors to an open-air terrace offering 360-degree views of Washington, D.C., and Virginia. Nicolas Leo Charbonneau, the classical architect from Harrison Design, told officials in May that the vantage point "raises the human above the traffic," according to The Washington Post.
Each day, 80 visitors would be permitted inside the arch per hour, Charbonneau stated, per The New York Times. Harrison Design initially recommended a pedestrian tunnel to avoid traffic, but the Commission of Fine Arts opposed this, leading to revised plans with four pedestrian crosswalks. Memorial Circle currently lacks pedestrian crossings, and it remains unclear how traffic lights would affect vehicle flow.
Traffic Concerns and Political Reactions
Representative Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat, wrote to the Trump administration expressing serious concerns about traffic impacts. He noted the bridge handles nearly 70,000 vehicles daily. "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. He added that constituents and visitors deserve consideration and answers about how the project would affect their lives.
The Independent has reached out to Harrison Design, the Commission of Fine Arts, the Interior Department, and the Transportation Department for comment.
Controversy and Opposition
The arch has sparked debate since Trump unveiled plans in October 2025. The 79-year-old president said it commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, but when asked 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."
Axios reported in November that the arch could cost about $100 million, partly funded by taxpayers, according to a CBS News report citing a government spending plan. Several lawsuits have been filed to stop the monument, including one by Vietnam veterans arguing it lacks congressional approval and would obstruct historic views. An April Ipsos survey found 52 percent of Americans oppose the arch, with only 21 percent in support.
In late May, the Commission of Fine Arts, filled with Trump appointees, approved the arch. On Thursday, another panel, the National Capital Planning Commission, also stocked with Trump deputies, will review the designs. If approved, the arch would join other Trump construction projects in Washington, D.C., including a $400 million White House ballroom and the Trump-Kennedy Center renovations.
