National Park Service Announces Preferred Alternative for Arch Grounds

 A design competition would be held to generate ideas for programmatic revitalization of the Memorial grounds in an area bounded by the North and South Reflecting Ponds, Memorial Drive, Washington Avenue, Poplar Street, and Luther Ely Smith Square. The look of the Memorial grounds could be changed, according
to Bradley, "so long as those changes are compatible with and respect the grounds' status as a National Historic Landmark. The final design entries
will undergo environmental and historic preservation review by the National Park Service, prior to final approval by the agency."

The preferred alternative, two other action alternatives as well as a no action alternative will now be fully analyzed as part of the draft General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement to be released for public comment in January 2009. At that time, the public will have another opportunity to comment before the planning process is complete and a Record
of Decision is signed by the agency next summer.

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