John Matthews
WMAL.com
(ARLINGTON) They’ve gone as far as they can go.
Officials at Arlington Cemetery are set to release plans Wednesday for the final expansion of the nation’s flagship military burial ground, utilizing land located south of the current cemetery.
“The cemetery seeks additional space that is contiguous with the existing cemetery in order to maintain future operations beyond the 2030’s,” said Cemetery Spokeswoman Jennifer Lynch.
The proposed plot, formerly known as the Navy Annex site, is the last available space adjacent to the existing cemetery.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is set to prepare an environmental assessment of the property, as well as review a proposal to redirect local traffic around the cemetary. Officials are negotiating with both Arlington County and the Virginia Department of Transportation to make the necessary land swaps to realign roadways through the area and allow for as many additional burial plots as possible, because once the cemetery is filled, that’s it.
“When we have no more space, then we’ll become a memorial cemetery,” said Lynch.
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