When will the Triumphal Arch rise in DC? See timeline for the project

The Trump administration aims to finish the "Triumphal Arch" within the next two to three years, according to National Park Service (NPS) documents.

The "Arc de Trump," as it has been dubbed, is a 250-foot structure similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Once completed, it will be a reinforced concrete structure clad in granite and ornamented with a central winged figure and two eagles, per NPS documents reviewed by USA TODAY.

The arch will be built on Memorial Circle in Arlington, Virginia, a stone's throw from Washington, DC, and Arlington National Cemetery. The circle is on the Virginia end of Arlington Memorial Bridge, which connects the Lincoln Memorial and the cemetery, where more than 400,000 fallen service members, veterans and their family members are buried.

The arch will have three levels: a ground floor, a mezzanine and an observation deck.

The ground floor is set to contain security screening, while the mezzanine will contain restrooms, with the possibility of a café and gift shop. The observation deck is expected to include a vertical circulation lobby and exterior deck.

The administration is setting out a stringent timeline to ensure the project is finished rapidly.

Documents posted on the agency's website say that work would occur year-round, 20 hours a day, with 10-hour shifts. Construction would require several tower cranes, forklifts, skid steers, drill rigs and concrete pumping systems. The structure would be built in seven phases: site excavation, foundation and support of excavation, structural concrete, recast cladding, statue placement and ceiling installation, landscapes/hardscapes and site restoration.

How would the project impact traffic

Short-term closures and detours will be required to accommodate construction once the project begins.

The construction site is estimated at roughly 45,000 square feet south of where the arch will be, NPS documents state, with an additional 80,000 square feet designated for parking and to minimize traffic obstruction.

About 20 to 30 construction trucks will transport roughly 80 to 100 loads per day, requiring trucks to be staged within the south project staging lot.

The agency plans to install traffic signals within and around Memorial Circle.

How would visitors tour the site?

Anyone wishing to visit the site once completed would be able to do so through a managed timed-entry system, documents reveal. The system would be similar to that at the Washington Monument.

Visitors could obtain tickets online or on-site and be given designated entry times. Upon arrival, visitors would enter a queue, proceed to the screening area on the ground floor and be allowed into the structure's public area.

People could then experience the space for themselves until their designated exit time.

Opposition to the structure

Concerns about how the structure would impact the military cemetery were raised in a lawsuit filed by four veterans in February: Michael Lemmon, Shaun Byrnes, Jon Gundersen and Calder Loth.

The lawsuit claims that building the arch without congressional approval would violate the Commemorative Works Act of 1986. The law details a multi-step process for authorizing, designing and siting commemorative works, including any monument, sculpture or memorial in Washington, DC, the lawsuit states.

Additionally, it would disrupt landscape views, potentially pose a hazard to air travel at Reagan National Airport and obstruct traffic, the plaintiffs argue. Memorial Circle is often part of the funeral procession to the cemetery.

"With the erection of the Arch, Arlington House will no longer be visible from the Lincoln Memorial, and the view of the Lincoln Memorial from Arlington House will be obscured, disrupting the historic andsymbolic link between the two," the lawsuit states.

President Donald Trump first announced plans to build the arch last year to commemorate the country's 250th anniversary.

In an emailed statement to USA TODAY on June 10, the Department of the Interior said: "The arch will also enhance the visitor experience at Arlington National Cemetery for veterans, the families of the fallen, and all Americans alike, serving as a visual reminder of the noble sacrifices borne by so many American heroes throughout our 250-year history so we can enjoy our freedoms today."

Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected].