The Trump administration is seeking to build a 250-foot arch at Memorial Circle, a traffic island on the bridge connecting Washington, D.C., to Arlington, Va. The proposed site is located approximately two aeronautical miles from the main runway at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently conducting an aeronautical study to determine if the structure constitutes a hazard to the national airspace.
The project follows a January 2025 midair collision near Washington, D.C., involving an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter that resulted in 67 deaths. Since that event, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has identified systemic failures in the region's airspace management. The airport, originally designed for 15 million annual passengers, currently serves nearly 25 million.
In a preliminary report issued in June, the FAA suggested the arch might not be an issue if equipped with blinking red obstruction lights, similar to those on the Washington Monument. However, a more detailed evaluation is underway for both the arch and the construction cranes, which may reach 320 feet. Aviation experts, including former FAA and NTSB investigator Jeff Guzzetti, noted that while the arch may not pose a significant risk to most aircraft, it adds a new variable to a complicated flight path. Specifically, pilots landing on Runway 19 perform a "River Visual" approach involving a sharp turn at an altitude below 500 feet to avoid prohibited airspace near the White House and U.S. Capitol.
This project affects commercial airline passengers, flight crews, and military personnel operating in the D.C. metropolitan area. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport handles flights approximately every 45 to 60 seconds until 11 p.m. daily. Aviation safety experts, such as Shawn Pruchnicki of Ohio State University, state that the proximity of a 250-foot structure to the flight path could reduce the margin for error during difficult weather or equipment malfunctions.
The development also impacts residents and commuters in Virginia. Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) have expressed concerns regarding the impact on transportation and safety. Two Democratic senators from Virginia recently introduced a bill that would cap hourly arrivals and gradually reduce the number of flights over a four-year period starting in 2028. Additionally, the arch's construction at Memorial Circle would alter the historic landscape between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
What happens next depends on the FAA's final determination, though the agency lacks land-use authority to legally block the project. The public comment period for the FAA study concluded on September 3. Separately, the National Capital Planning Commission is expected to consider the project for final approval in the coming months. An ongoing lawsuit also challenges the authority to build the structure without specific Congressional authorization. The Trump administration has stated it intends to begin preliminary excavation work soon.