page_title: Independence Avenue (Washington, D.C.)
section_title: Route and landmarks
hierarchical_section_title: Independence Avenue (Washington, D.C.) / Route and landmarks
caption_attribution_description: An aerial view of Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (DC) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA)
context_page_description: Independence Avenue is a major east-west street in the southwest and southeast quadrants of the city of Washington, D.C., in the United States, running just south of the United States Capitol. Originally named South B Street, Independence Avenue SW was constructed between 1791 and 1823. Independence Avenue SE was constructed in pieces as residential development occurred east of the United States Capitol and east of the Anacostia River. Independence Avenue SW received its current name after Congress renamed the street in legislation approved on April 13, 1934. Independence Avenue SW originally had its western terminus at 14th Street SW, but was extended west to Ohio Drive SW between 1941 and 1942. The government of the District of Columbia renamed the portion of the road in the southeast quadrant of the city in 1950.
context_section_description: The western terminus of Independence Avenue is south of the Lincoln Memorial at the intersection of Ohio Drive SW and 23rd Street SW. The street contains three lanes of traffic in each direction, and eastbound and westbound lanes are divided by a 55-foot (17 m) grassy median. The John Ericsson National Memorial is located southwest to this terminus.  Going eastward, Independence Avenue passes through West Potomac Park, creating an informal boundary to the National Mall. The Korean War Veterans Memorial is adjacent to the avenue's north edge about 600 feet (180 m) east of the terminus. After passing West Basin Drive SW, motorists can see the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial adjacent to the roadway to the south and the District of Columbia War Memorial adjacent to the roadway to the north.
  As Independence Avenue SW approaches the Tidal Basin, the westbound lanes curve north toward 17th Street SW to avoid a bay in the Basin. The John Paul Jones Memorial stands where 17th Street SW meets Independence Avenue SW. The eastbound lanes cross the Tidal Basin via the Kutz Bridge. Small off-ramps allow westbound traffic to return eastbound, and eastbound traffic to return westbound, essentially ringing the Tidal Basin bay with roadways. East of the Tidal Basin, Maine Avenue SW joins westbound Independence Avenue. An off-ramp allows eastbound Independence Avenue traffic to access Maine Avenue SW, and then an unnamed bridge creates a grade separation between elevated Independence Avenue and entrenched Maine Avenue. Both lanes of Independence Avenue curve gently through this area before moving northward to avoid the Sidney Yates Federal Building (the red brick, Romanesque Revival headquarters of the United States Forest Service). The two lanes merge into a single street with no median at Raoul Wallenberg Place SW (e.g., 14th Street SW) before curving slightly south to straighten into a formal east-west aligned ceremonial avenue.
  Between 14th Street SW and 2nd Street SW, Independence Avenue is lined with museums and federal office buildings.  On the north side of the street (west to east) are the U.S. Department of Agriculture's headquarters (the Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building), the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (both art museums belonging to the Smithsonian Institution), the Smithsonian Institution Building, the National Museum of African Art, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the United States Botanic Garden.  On the south side of the street (west to east) are the Department of Agriculture's South Building, the James V. Forrestal Building (headquarters of the United States Department of Energy), the Wilbur Wright Federal Building and the Orville Wright Federal Building (headquarters of the Federal Aviation Administration), the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building (occupied by the United States Department of Health and Human Services [HHS]), and the Hubert H. Humphrey Building (headquarters of HHS).
  At 2nd Street SW, Independence Avenue SW meets Washington Avenue SW, a major thoroughfare providing access to Interstate 395 and South Capitol Street.
  Independence Avenue SW/SE forms the southern boundary of the grounds of the United States Capitol. The Capitol is to the north of the street, while the Cannon, Longworth, and Rayburn House Office Buildings are to the south.  Past the Capitol, Independence Avenue SE passes between the Library of Congress' Thomas Jefferson Building (north) and James Madison Memorial Building (south). The last major building along the avenue is the Library of Congress' John Adams Building (north), where Independence Avenue SE has a junction with Pennsylvania Avenue SE.
  The wide, ceremonial Independence Avenue SE narrows to become a traditional residential street east of 2nd Street SE.  There is a major intersection with Massachusetts Avenue SE between 14th and 15th Street SE. After 19th Street SE, Independence Avenue SE passes to the south of the D.C. Armory. The roadway then curves south and northeast
caption: Independence Avenue SE can be seen to the left of RFK Stadium and the D.C. Armory in this photograph.
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