Washington, DC, is the nation’s capital. While it is home to nearly one million people, it is not a state. Stunningly, the United States is the only nation in the world with a representative, democratic constitution that denies citizens of the capital voting representation in the national legislature. Thus, many of the changes DC residents require must go before Congress to get the change we need. As any American citizen knows, Congress is not the most efficient group for getting things done, no matter what party is in charge. This puts DC in a unique position. But this is not the only peculiarity found in Washington. Understanding DC’s street layout is difficult. DC roads were named and designed with some semblance of organization. Below, we explain the rules to follow to best understand how the roads are named.
Moreover, Washington, DC, has a unique combination of grids, diagonals, and traffic signals that converge in odd patterns as they carefully carve room for essential government buildings. Observatory Circle is a clear example in NW Washington, DC. Despite popular belief, Number One Observatory Circle is the official residence of the Vice President, who does not reside in the White House. However, due to its size in Embassy Row, Massachusetts Avenue, and Wisconsin Avenue, it expands and realigns in odd formations around the residence. This leaves room for the home and provides sufficient space for security reasons. However, these odd formations lead to car accidents. Our car accident lawyers have handled thousands of accidents in the District. We have heard countless times how confusing these roads can be. Below, we break them down in detail.
A Brief History of Washington, DC’s Urban Planning
Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution grants Congress power “To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever” over the federal District. When George Washington was first elected in 1788, he appointed Pierre L’Enfant. Mr. L’Enfant proposed an orthogonal, gridded street network with diagonal avenues back in 1791. So, if you have been to L’Enfant in SW DC, you now know why it holds that name as an ode to the city’s original designer. He believed that the United States was open to everyone. This is why he designed the National Mall in the manner he did. When Pierre L’Enfant resigned at Thomas Jefferson’s urging, Andrew Ellicott later produced the official city plan. In 1910, Congress passed the Height of Buildings Act. This held that the height of a building must be in proportion to the width of the streets below.
The height limit on residential streets is 90 feet. Height limits on commercial streets are the width of the adjacent street plus 20 feet, with a maximum height limit of 130 feet, with limited exceptions. In 1950, Washington’s population peaked at just over 800,000, slightly higher than what it is today in 2025. 1950 brought the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System and the Capital Beltway, or I-495. The Beltway opened 14 years later, in 1964. In 1976, the Metro finally opened the Red Line, the first segment of DC’s rail system. While work on DC’s urban environment is ongoing, many streets in the grid and diagonal avenue system have been in place for decades. We explore that next.
The Grid System
It is best to consider Washington, DC’s street layout horizontally and vertically. Then, diagonals and roundabouts are added in. Washington, DC, like many cities, is laid out as a grid. However, DC is not a perfect square, although it was at one point when Arlington in Virginia was a part of DC. Of course, even then, DC is broken up by water, military bases, presidential residences, and national monuments that further break up the grid. The center of Washington, DC, is the United States Capitol. That is the set point of origin for many of the streets that are listed in order. Below, we describe the rules governing how the streets are laid out.
East/West Streets
The east/west streets in Washington, DC, are horizontal. First, these streets are grouped by Alphabet. The most famous is K Street. What should be right next to K Street is J Street. However, J Street in DC does not exist. Nor does X Street, Y Street, or Z Street. There are differing opinions on why J Street does not exist. There is speculation that Pierre L’Enfant held disdain for Chief Justice John Jay. However, just as popular an opinion is that J Street may be confused with I Street, which would be laid one block south of J Street. Although, we may easily refute this theory because I Street can still be confused with L Street if the L is uncapitalized. Thus, I Street, also known as Eye Street, was used to avoid that confusion.
Unfortunately, that can confuse even locals. However, entering either spelling into your navigation should identify the street as one and the same. After W Street, instead of completing the alphabet, the roads are named after trees, flowers, presidents, and other local figures. Additionally, if you are on 1611 21st Street, count to the 16th letter of the alphabet, P, and you are right by P Street. And because the U.S. Capitol is the point of origin, there is an east/west A Street just north and just south of the Capitol. Of course, they are divided by quadrants. So, one is A Street NE, and the other is A Street SE, with two distinct addresses and places.
K Street
Several streets in Washington, DC, have special significance nationally. One is Pennsylvania Avenue, where the White House is. K Street is the heart of the business district in DC. It is comparable to Wall Street in Manhattan. K Street is in three segments as it is brought to a temporary halt for Carnegie Library and Florida Avenue NE. Similarly to banks on Wall Street, many of the lobbying firms formerly on K Street have moved to adjacent streets, with just one remaining on the esteemed thoroughfare. Furthermore, the intersection of K Street NW and Connecticut Avenue NW is the busiest in the entire city. Needless to say, countless accidents occur here daily. This is also one block from where Gelb & Gelb is located, positioning our office at the heart of the city.
Although K Street is where the city’s most prominent office space is, this street and intersection are far less busy on the weekend. As it turns out, 57% of K Street is office/lobby space. Unfortunately, this does mean fewer restaurants or coffee shops for large stretches of the busy street. The district has been emphasizing this in reimagining the street’s usage. At the time of the District’s most recent study, 23% of the ground-level usage is in restaurants. Moreover, 9% is for parking and less than that is for retail. Although, this is not shocking, as high rental prices go hand-in-hand with less retail.
North/South Streets
While east/west streets are listed by the alphabet, north/south streets are enumerated. As with horizontal streets, vertical streets start with the U.S. Capitol as the point of origin. Just east of the Capitol, streets are numbered and named 1st Street SE, 2nd Street SE, etc. Note that 1st Street SW is not immediately west of the Capitol, as that is where the National Mall resides. However, it does present itself sparsely just below the Capitol. So, if you are in the western parts of DC like Georgetown or Cathedral Heights, expect higher numbered streets like 35th Street. Meanwhile, if you are working your way towards the Capitol Building, the numbered streets should be shrinking. This is a good way to navigate yourself through the city.
State-Named Avenues
The state-named avenues are where things can get a bit less organized. This should not be a total surprise as this was created by Congress and not designed by L’Enfant. It makes sense why the Capital District should pay tribute to each of the fifty states. In fact, DC even has a street for Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico Avenue, NE. While nearly all are avenues, California Street and Ohio Drive are not. Besides Pennsylvania Avenue, the busiest state streets are Massachusetts, Connecticut, Wisconsin, and New York. Pennsylvania Avenue is perhaps the most famous because it is home to the White House and neighbors K Street. New York Avenue coincides with US-50, a route 3,019 miles long. Meanwhile, Massachusetts Avenue is the longest road in Washington, DC.
Quadrants and Their Significance
The city is divided into four quadrants: Northwest (NW), Northeast (NE), Southwest (SW), and Southeast (SE). The quadrant boundaries extend north, south, east, and west from the Capitol along streets appropriately named North Capitol, South Capitol, and East Capitol. Again, there is no West Capitol Street because the National Mall extends west of the Capitol Building. It is critical to understand that there are four quadrants because 1634 I Street NW is where Gelb & Gelb is located. However, 1634 I Street NE is just off of Benning Road and is an entirely different address.
Looking at where the Capitol is on a map of Washington, DC, you will notice that the largest quadrant is Northwest, whereas Southwest is relatively small. NW is also home to American, George Washington, and Georgetown Universities.
Major Landmarks and Their Impact on Navigation
There are several landmarks in Washington, DC, but there are far too many to count here. Thus, we break down the landmarks in the Nation’s Capital that also impact navigation. Any landmark that impacts navigation plays a role in DC car accidents.
The National Mall
The National Mall carries significance in DC and for the country. First, it is home to the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. The Washington Monument stands at the center of the National Mall, marking the midpoint between the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. The monument was dedicated to George Washington, whereas the Lincoln Memorial commemorates all the 16th President did for our country. Flanking The National Mall are Constitution Avenue and Independence Avenue. While these street names are beacons for the country, our DC accident lawyers still frequently represent clients injured in motor vehicle accidents, scooter accidents, and more that occur in this region of DC.
Dupont Circle
Dupont Circle is a fantastic neighborhood to work and live in, as well as a complex traffic hub. It is where iconic streets such as Massachusetts Avenue, Connecticut Avenue, and others intersect. DC is known for its confusing traffic circles, with over 30 in Washington, DC, and Dupont Circle is among the best known. The purpose of these traffic signals was to allow the diagonal avenues to intersect with the otherwise north/south and east/west traffic grid. That was part of L’Enfant’s original plan. However, in today’s rush hour traffic, and with more roads than were originally planned, the traffic circles can be confusing with multiple lanes within one circle. Unfortunately, our personal injury lawyers know first-hand how dangerous these traffic circles can be. We often handle cases where one driver simply does not understand how the traffic circles work and cause an accident.
Capitol Hill
The neighborhood of Capitol Hill is found just east of the Capitol Building. Found in Capitol Hill are the Supreme Court, United States Capitol, Senate, and Houses of Representatives. That is what Capitol Hill is known for nationally. However, there are more intimate details to pay attention to if you visit the neighborhood. Directly in Capitol Hill is Eastern Market, known for fresh food, community events, and local farm-fresh produce. There is also Barracks Row in south Capitol Hill. While staff and interns live around Capitol Hill and Navy Yard, members of Congress may travel further to get to the Capitol Building for work, making the roads exceedingly busy during rush hour.
Washington Union Station
Union Station is among the busiest train stations in the country, ranking 10th busiest overall and second busiest Amtrak station. While It was busiest in the 1940s, it is still consistently a popular mode of transportation for getting to other major cities up and down the northeastern corridor. Union Station is in NoMa, just north of Massachusetts Avenue. It is also within walking distance of Georgetown University Law Center and the Capitol. Union Station shores up navigation because it relieves commuters heading to Baltimore with access to the Marc Train.
Contact Gelb & Gelb Today
If you suffer injuries in Washington, DC, or would like to learn more about DC’s street layout, contact our office today at (202) 331-7227 for a free case evaluation.
