A proposed 250-foot-tall memorial arch by President Donald Trump could disrupt the historical significance of dozens of sites near its planned location, according to a National Park Service assessment.

Historical Significance at Risk

The arch would impact the “integrity” of dozens of historical properties because it would change “character-defining visual and spatial relationships” between them. The immediate project area is located within the Memorial Avenue Corridor cultural landscape, a nationally significant historic designed landscape extending between the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., and Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

The report cited that the arch would break alignment between the Lincoln Memorial, Memorial Bridge, and Arlington House, which was formerly Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s home. The bridge alignment and associated ceremonial landscape were intended to physically and symbolically unite North and South through a coordinated monumental composition extending across the Potomac River.

Approval Process and Opposition

The proposed arch has already received early approval from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, with commissioners appointed by Trump. The National Capital Area Planning Commission approved the site and preliminary plans at its July meeting. However, the project has sparked opposition, including a lawsuit filed by a group of veterans and a historian, who argue that the construction requires Congressional approval.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.