Virginia and Washington D.C. sue federal government to halt construction of President Trump's proposed 250-foot memorial arch

Commuters and emergency services between Washington D.C. and Virginia face three years of traffic snarls, rerouted roads, and potential response delays if construction proceeds while the legal challenges are resolved.

• •The District of Columbia and Virginia filed a federal lawsuit on Saturday to stop the construction of the proposed memorial arch.
• •The lawsuits bring the total number of active legal challenges against the monument project to three.
• •The proposed arch would rise 250 feet on a patch of grass off the bridge spanning the Potomac River, connecting Washington D.C. with Arlington National Cemetery.
• •The structure would stand 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty from base to torch and span over 12 stories high.
• •Plaintiffs argue that a three-year construction period will snarl traffic, produce pollution and stormwater runoff in the Potomac, and interfere with emergency services.
• •U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan is considering a separate request for an order to halt the project brought by three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian.
• •The administration stated in a court filing that it plans to seek final approval at a Thursday meeting of the Capital National Planning Commission and potentially begin construction the same day.
• •The 106-page plan for the arch includes a bronze statue of Lady Liberty with wings, an observation deck, an occupied roof, program spaces, offices, and a fire command center.
• •The project includes significant traffic changes and rerouting of nearby roads, alongside a stated national security function.