June 9 (UPI) — Preparations are underway for a military parade Saturday in Washington, D.C., celebrating the Army’s 250th anniversary that is projected to cost $45 million and possibly higher because of possible road damage.
Construction workers are erecting a stage along Constitution Avenue near the White House. Steel plates have been embedded in the asphalt to protect damage from 140,000-pound Abrams tanks.
Saturday also is Flag Day and President Donald Trump‘s 79th birthday.
The parade will run from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., followed by the Army Golden Knights’ parachute demonstration and a concert at the Ellipse. A fireworks show will occur at 9:45 p.m., the U.S. Army said.
All of the activities are free. Registration for the festival and parade is available through America250’s event registration portal.
The parade will include 6,600 soldiers, 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft going from the Pentagon to the Washington Monument. Around 200,000 spectators are expected to watch the parade, including Army personnel wearing uniforms representing every U.S. conflict dating back to the Revolutionary War.
About 1,800 Soldiers from III Armored Corps in Fort Cavazos will participate.
Vehicles have been arriving by train from Texas.
“The Army’s 250th birthday is a once-in-a-lifetime event,” Col. Kamil Sztalkoper, a spokesperson for the III Armored Corps, said as one of the trains left Fort Cavazos, Texas. “This is a chance to see our soldiers, our leaders and the world-class force on full display in our nation’s capital. We look forward to being a part of history.”
A list and photos of military equipment is available on the Army website.
The parade starts at 23rd Street and Constitution Avenue North and travels down Constitution Avenue along the National Mall, ending at 15th Street and Constitution Avenue Northwest, the U.S. Army said.
WTOP reported there will be several road closures.
D.C. officials have expressed concern about potential road damage from the vehicles, including 60-ton tanks.
Army has installed thick steel plates at key turns but straightaway on Constitution Avenue remain unprotected.
Mayor Muriel Bowser said potential damage could cost millions but the Army has pledged to cover the costs.
During his first presidency, President Trump asked the Pentagon to organize a military parade in the capital after he watched the French Bastille Day military parade in France in 2017. But Pentagon personnel convinced him then not to move forward with plans.
Instead in 2019, he celebrated Independence Day with a speech at the Lincoln Memorial with military planes’ flyovers. Two Bradley fighting vehicles also were at the Lincoln Memorial.
“I think it’s time for us to celebrate a little bit,” Trump said Monday. “You know we’ve had a lot of victories.”
The White House estimates the parade will cost between $25 million and $45 million.
Besides the parade, concert and fireworks, there will be a fitness competition at 9:30 a.m. and a festival beginning at 11 a.m. that includes an NFL kids zone and military demonstrations, along with other activities.
Flights to and from Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Va., will be suspended for 90 minutes during the military parade.