1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,111 today we marked the official start of 2 00:00:02,111 --> 00:00:04,389 the construction phase of this project . 3 00:00:04,389 --> 00:00:06,500 The journey to achieve this milestone 4 00:00:06,500 --> 00:00:08,722 has been long , complex and difficult . 5 00:00:08,730 --> 00:00:10,841 The groundwork for this project began 6 00:00:10,841 --> 00:00:13,090 last century with direction in the Fy 7 00:00:13,090 --> 00:00:16,050 2000 National Defense authorization Act 8 00:00:16,070 --> 00:00:18,237 To transfer the Navy addicts that used 9 00:00:18,237 --> 00:00:20,790 to stand where we are now to the army 10 00:00:21,070 --> 00:00:22,848 for use in the expansion of our 11 00:00:22,848 --> 00:00:24,959 international cemetery . This project 12 00:00:24,959 --> 00:00:27,480 is really two projects in one . The 13 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:29,369 first is the defense access roads 14 00:00:29,369 --> 00:00:31,147 project under the direction and 15 00:00:31,147 --> 00:00:33,369 leadership of the Eastern Federal Lands 16 00:00:33,369 --> 00:00:35,424 Highway Division . The second is the 17 00:00:35,424 --> 00:00:37,480 southern expansion project under the 18 00:00:37,480 --> 00:00:37,370 protection of leadership of Arlington 19 00:00:37,370 --> 00:00:39,426 National Cemetery . With the U . S . 20 00:00:39,426 --> 00:00:41,481 Army Corps of Engineers being design 21 00:00:41,481 --> 00:00:43,370 and construction agent , there is 22 00:00:43,370 --> 00:00:45,350 something uniquely reverent in the 23 00:00:45,350 --> 00:00:48,230 privilege of being involved to support 24 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:50,530 the A . N . C . Southern expansion as 25 00:00:50,530 --> 00:00:53,560 the lead for the door project honoring 26 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:55,393 the service and sacrifice of the 27 00:00:55,393 --> 00:00:57,970 military members , veterans and their 28 00:00:57,970 --> 00:00:59,970 family members who are laid to rest 29 00:00:59,970 --> 00:01:02,192 here at Arlington National Cemetery and 30 00:01:02,192 --> 00:01:04,440 those who will have the opportunity to 31 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:06,440 do so in the future . Thanks to the 32 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:08,607 southern expansion and dar projects is 33 00:01:08,607 --> 00:01:10,773 a noble and somber mission that we are 34 00:01:10,773 --> 00:01:12,773 proud to support as we break ground 35 00:01:12,773 --> 00:01:14,829 today . Please know that it has been 36 00:01:14,829 --> 00:01:16,662 and continues to be the Corps of 37 00:01:16,662 --> 00:01:18,718 Engineers , great pride and honor to 38 00:01:18,718 --> 00:01:20,940 support Arlington National Cemetery and 39 00:01:20,940 --> 00:01:23,162 Federal Highways Administration . Today 40 00:01:23,162 --> 00:01:25,320 we make history as we transition to 41 00:01:25,320 --> 00:01:28,120 implement our multifaceted plan to keep 42 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:30,064 an Arlington National Cemetery and 43 00:01:30,064 --> 00:01:32,460 active military Cemetery For the next 44 00:01:32,460 --> 00:01:35,260 150 years . The dark project will 45 00:01:35,620 --> 00:01:37,620 realign Columbia pike and shortened 46 00:01:37,620 --> 00:01:39,930 South Joyce Street providing new 47 00:01:39,930 --> 00:01:42,152 utility corridors under Columbia pike . 48 00:01:42,740 --> 00:01:44,907 Redesign the Columbia Pike in Virginia 49 00:01:44,907 --> 00:01:47,850 27 interchange , remove Southgate Road 50 00:01:47,860 --> 00:01:50,027 and create a new section of South Nash 51 00:01:50,027 --> 00:01:53,010 Street provide a dedicated 10 ft wide 52 00:01:53,020 --> 00:01:55,110 bi directional bike trail as well as 53 00:01:55,110 --> 00:01:57,110 eight ft sidewalks on both sides of 54 00:01:57,110 --> 00:01:59,054 Columbia pike . The defense access 55 00:01:59,054 --> 00:02:01,410 roads or dar project and southern 56 00:02:01,410 --> 00:02:03,521 expansion projects were conceived and 57 00:02:03,521 --> 00:02:05,700 developed with one goal in mind to 58 00:02:05,700 --> 00:02:07,756 extend the service life of Arlington 59 00:02:07,756 --> 00:02:09,644 National Cemetery and allow it to 60 00:02:09,644 --> 00:02:11,867 continue to honor Our Nation's veterans 61 00:02:11,867 --> 00:02:13,867 and families as it has for over 150 62 00:02:13,867 --> 00:02:16,070 years . The southern expansion project 63 00:02:16,070 --> 00:02:18,650 will add approximately 50 acres to A . 64 00:02:18,650 --> 00:02:21,210 N . C . Including 37 new acres of 65 00:02:21,210 --> 00:02:24,500 contiguous burial space Provide over 66 00:02:24,500 --> 00:02:26,950 80,000 new internment and interment 67 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,127 opportunities with the construction of 68 00:02:29,127 --> 00:02:31,071 new column barium courts in ground 69 00:02:31,071 --> 00:02:33,293 cremated remains sections and in ground 70 00:02:33,293 --> 00:02:35,630 cascaded remain sections . It will 71 00:02:35,630 --> 00:02:37,574 seamlessly integrate the Air Force 72 00:02:37,574 --> 00:02:39,720 memorial with Arlington Cemetery . We 73 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:41,776 look forward to the pending start of 74 00:02:41,776 --> 00:02:44,053 the dar project and to the final A . N . 75 00:02:44,053 --> 00:02:46,164 C . Design which incorporates the Air 76 00:02:46,164 --> 00:02:47,998 Force memorial with the southern 77 00:02:47,998 --> 00:02:50,053 expansion in a matter that will seem 78 00:02:50,340 --> 00:02:52,510 that will seem as if it was always 79 00:02:52,510 --> 00:02:54,621 meant to be this way . Although every 80 00:02:54,621 --> 00:02:56,788 one of these items is important in its 81 00:02:56,788 --> 00:02:58,677 own right . They come together to 82 00:02:58,677 --> 00:03:00,899 fulfill the greater mission which is to 83 00:03:00,899 --> 00:03:03,121 maintain Arlington National Cemetery as 84 00:03:03,121 --> 00:03:05,066 an active cemetery , accepting our 85 00:03:05,066 --> 00:03:06,954 nation's honor dead well into the 86 00:03:06,954 --> 00:03:07,440 future . Yeah .