Construction of the 250-foot-high triumphal arch that President Donald Trump wants built near Memorial Bridge could occur 20 hours per day, year-round, as officials push to complete the project within three years.
That’s according to a preliminary assessment by the National Park Service.
Virginia’s Democratic congressional delegation is demanding the restoration of Arlington House educational materials that cast Robert E. Lee’s role in history in a critical light.
U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, who represents Arlington in the 8th Congressional District, led Democrats in demanding the National Park Service bring back a Junior Ranger Program activity booklet to Arlington House. The booklet was reportedly flagged for stating, “In 1829, Robert E. Lee promised to serve in the Army and protect the United States. In 1861, he broke his promise and fought for slavery.”
County leaders appear optimistic that plans for an Arlington boathouse on the Potomac River will stay on track to open by the end of the decade.
“I think we’re through the hardest parts,” County Board member Susan Cunningham said at the April 14 meeting of the Park and Recreation Commission, where the topic was discussed.
Historic preservation work began today (Thursday) on several structures and memorials near Arlington National Cemetery, resulting in lane closures on Washington Blvd and GW Parkway.
Through mid to late May, the National Park Service will be cleaning the Boundary Channel Bridge, repairing deteriorating mortar and conducting restoration work on the Seabees Memorial, the United Spanish War Veterans Memorial and the structural bases of the nearby eagle statues.
The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public input on big-picture plans for GW Parkway’s vistas and foliage — a topic that has previously sparked significant controversy.
A virtual public meeting on “long-term care of historic scenic views,” featuring a presentation and an opportunity for questions, is scheduled for 6 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday). Respondents can also comment online through Saturday, April 11.
While a major portion of GW Parkway construction work is wrapping up in Arlington, another is scheduled to get underway next year.
From Spout Run Parkway up to the Beltway in McLean, paving is done and mainline construction is on track to conclude by the end of the month as a major rehab project announced in 2021 draws toward a close.
New water fountains and refill stations are coming to the Mount Vernon Trail, the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial and other federally controlled parts of Arlington.
The National Park Service plans to install up to 14 new stations at “high-priority locations” in the vicinity of GW Parkway.
An Arlington County commission is throwing its weight behind a proposal to have the state government take over operation of Virginia’s national parks during federal shutdowns.
The Park and Recreation Commission agreed last week to include that recommendation as part of its 2026 package of state legislative priorities. The advisory body’s list will be forwarded to County Board members for final consideration.
Two large downed trees caused traffic and power woes in separate parts of Arlington this morning.
The first, on the 2400 block of S. Walter Reed Drive near Shirlington, fell last night around 9 p.m., taking down utility lines, knocking out the power to nearby homes and businesses, and completely blocking the road.
A local stretch of GW Parkway will be closed to northbound traffic on two Saturdays this month.
Northbound lanes between Spout Run Parkway and Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road) will be closed from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. tomorrow and Jan. 11.
An Arlington government advisory body seems generally supportive of advocacy efforts to preserve mature trees along the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
But, cognizant of what happened to another advisory panel when it took too aggressive an advocacy stance, members of the Arlington Park and Recreation Commission on Dec. 10 opted to take more time before deciding how to proceed.
A coalition of environmental advocacy groups is hoping recent controversy over tree-clearing along the Potomac River leads to creative thinking about the future.
Leaders of nine organizations dispatched a letter to Christine Smith, acting director of the National Park Service’s George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP). While much of the letter focused on the tree-clearing matter, there also was a call for ways to atone and move forward.
