The army is preparing for a greater military parade in the streets of the capital for decades, with 7 million pounds of equipment

Washington
Cnn
–

Millions of pounds of military equipment should lower the streets of the American capital in less than two weeks, making a dream from President Donald Trump, but also an effort that has aroused concerns about the way Washington, DC, will pass under the literal weight of heavy tanks and combat vehicles.

The largest military parade that the city has seen for decades should bring seven million pounds of vehicles and weapons as well as a potentially tens of millions of dollars, and this week, the American army began to strengthen the roads that will transport the equipment to the city center and along the road to parade.

The June 14 parade will include dozens of M1-A1 Abrams tanks and Bradley and Stryker combat vehicles that drive in the streets of DC, as well as howitzers and other artillery pieces, officials said. Nearly 7,000 soldiers should participate.

Most tanks, vehicles and equipment are currently on the way to Maryland from Fort Cavazos in Texas, and will arrive by train at Jessup train station, Maryland, early next week. They will then be discharged on flat trucks for transport to DC. All in all, the parade is expected to bring about 7 million pounds of military equipment in the streets of the national capital, said a non -military official involved in planning.

But the US Army Corps of Engineers, which has directed efforts to protect DC roads and infrastructure, is confident in the attenuation efforts that the army is deploying to minimize damage – the efforts that have cost more than $ 3 million so far, army officials said. The total cost of the parade could reach $ 45 million, officials estimated.

The efforts to attenuate damage include the installation of steel plates on the roads, in particular in places where the tanks will make acute turns; Put new track pads on each vehicle to relieve a certain pressure and create a separation between metal and asphalt; And make sure that the tanks only move a rhythm of walking during the parade itself, the officials said.

Colonel Jesse Curry, director of the office of the chief engineers, told CNN that the army had worked a lot with various agencies and public service companies in its planning to minimize potential damage.

The army began to place steel plates in about a dozen sites along the parade road on Wednesday evening, said Curry, and plans to table mats in a staging area of ​​West Potomac Park, near the National Mall, so that the Abrams tanks sat before taking down avenue Constitution.

“Our concern for a technical evaluation of engineering on everything below the surface of the road which will be damaged is very, very low,” said Curry. “We have the best (engineers) in the world.”

The 250 of the army^th The birthday celebration has been in preparation for two years, army officials said. But the addition of a parade was the idea of ​​the White House Trump, so the planning of this started only two months ago.

Trump’s desire for a large military parade – featuring all military services – dates back to his first mandate. But it was scammed at the time because defense officials said it would cost up to $ 100 million and would damage the DC streets.

This month parade will focus only on the army, which makes it slightly smaller and cheaper.

The body of army engineers began to assess how to protect DC infrastructure during the parade in April, said Curry. The initial estimate of the worst case to protect the DC streets was around 16 million dollars, said Curry. It would have been the cost if the army “had done nothing to mitigate” the impacts, he explained.

From now on, the estimate fell to around $ 3.5 million, which will include the cost of setting up steel plates and strengthening them in the sidewalk with railway ties, removing the plates thereafter, and any cosmetic maintenance which must be done as a result of the parade.

Two people who are not in the army but who are involved in the parade planning told CNN that there were still concerns among certain agencies concerning potential damage to underground gas pipes – in particular on the road to the Jessup railway station in the detention zone near the National Mall.

But Curry stressed that the body of army engineers assesses this risk of being “very low”.

The army has consulted the National Park Services, the Federal Highway Administration, DC Water, Washington Gas, Pepco, the Ministry of Transport and “all authorities and associated public service companies that would have legitimate concerns,” said Curry.

During these discussions, the army traveled the expected road with companies, looking at their lines of gas and underground electricity, which, according to Curry, run largely under the sidewalks rather than in the middle of the road. This alone has attenuated part of the concerns about damage to critical infrastructure, said Curry.

“If we drive on the sidewalks, something went really bad,” he said.

Curry noted that the army frequently carries tank and heavy combat vehicles on trucks across the country, without causing infrastructure problems.

The parade is intended to tell the story of the army through its 250 years of history, starting with the revolutionary war, to trace through major conflicts and to end with today. The parade route will start near Lincoln Memorial on Constitution Avenue, continue east up to 15^th Street, and end at the corner of 15^th and independence avenue.

Here is a ventilation of what will be presented:

First World War

Second World War

Vietnam War::

Gulf war::

World war against terrorism::

Modern era 1

ERA Modern 2

The parade will also offer an “extended” overview, army officials said more than 50 helicopters. These will include Ah-64 Apaches, UH-60 Black Hawks and CH-47 Chinooso.

Finally, the parachute demonstration team of the Golden Knights of the army will jump and will present to Trump an American flag – the only part of the parade which will directly involve the president, said army officials.