One of President Donald Trump’s pet projects to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence is set to be built on a vigorously demanding construction schedule.The soaring triumphal arch, designed to sit between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, would require a 20-hour-a-day work schedule over two to three years, according to National Park Service documents published in the Federal Register. Plans for the monument indicate it will be a five-level structure, with an observation deck and a mezzanine level that could contain exhibit space, restrooms, a café, and a gift shop.“Construction of the Arch would occur in multiple phases over an approximately two-to-three year period,” the documents read. “Work would occur year-round, with work occurring in two 10-hour shifts per day (20 hours per day, year-round) for the duration of the construction period.”
The 250-foot arch is believed to be Trump’s idea, which he proposed last fall in anticipation of the semiquincentennial “to celebrate 250 years of American independence.” It strongly resembles the Washington Square Park arch in Manhattan and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The main structure height lies at around 160 feet but rises to the 250-foot figure when accounting for the soaring gold-winged figure and two eagles atop the structure.
