New Hampshire Avenue

For the section of New Hampshire Avenue in Maryland, see Maryland Route 650.
New Hampshire Avenue

Intersection of 22nd Street and New Hampshire Avenue, NW in the West End neighborhood
Other name(s) New Hampshire Avenue NE
New Hampshire Avenue NW
Maintained by DDOT
Location Washington, D.C., U.S.
South end Watergate Complex
Major
junctions		 Virginia Avenue
US 29 / Washington Circle
Dupont Circle
US 29 (Georgia Avenue)
Grant Circle
North Capitol Street
North end MD 650 / Eastern Avenue
Construction
Commissioned 1907
Construction start 1908

New Hampshire Avenue is a diagonal street in Washington, D.C., beginning at the Kennedy Center and extending northeast for about 5 miles (8 km) and then continuing into Maryland where it is designated Maryland Route 650. New Hampshire Avenue, however, is not contiguous. It stops at 15th and W Streets NW and resumes again on the other side of Columbia Heights at Park Road NW, a few blocks from Georgia Avenue. New Hampshire Avenue passes through several Washington neighborhoods including Foggy Bottom, Dupont Circle, Petworth and Lamond-Riggs.

In Maryland, New Hampshire Avenue passes the neighborhoods and towns of Chillum, Takoma Park, Carole Highlands, Langley Park and Silver Spring. Eventually, it feeds into Damascus Road (Maryland Route 108) at Etchison. Many Maryland residents regard New Hampshire Avenue as a convenient access road to Washington's North Capitol Street, a wide road that starts north of the United States Capitol and divides the city into its northwest and northeast quadrants.

History

In 1907, the commissioners of the District of Columbia asked Congress to appropriate funds to extend New Hampshire Avenue northward to the Maryland state line.[1] The northern portion was proposed in 1908.[2] Rock Creek Church requested that New Hampshire Avenue not be extended in a straight line in order to be more direct to the church.[3] Thomas H. Carter of Montana[4] and Jacob Harold Gallinger of New Hampshire submitted the bill to the Senate.[5] The bill passed in late 1908.[6]

In 1911, the commissioners of the District asked Congress to appropriate funds to extend New Hampshire Avenue in a deflected direction, rather than in a straight line, from its end at Buchanan Avenue to the Maryland state line.[7] The House of Representatives passed the bill,[8][9] and the Senate also passed the bill soon thereafter.[10]

Transit service

While no single transit route follows New Hampshire Avenue for very long, it nonetheless runs in proximity of and briefly carries an assortment of transit services.

Metrobus

The following Metrobus routes run along the avenue (listed from south to north):

Ride-On

The following Ride On routes run along the avenue in Montgomery County, Maryland (listed from south to north):

Metrorail

The following Metrorail stations have stops located near New Hampshire Avenue:

References

  1. ↑ "More Money for Street". The Washington Post. January 1, 1908. p. 14.
  2. ↑ "Would Open New Section: Extension of New Hampshire Avenue Expected from Congress". The Washington Post. May 17, 1908. p. R2.
  3. ↑ "Ask for Straight Street". The Washington Post. March 18, 1908. p. 14.
  4. ↑ "For Straight Avenue: New Hampshire Thoroughfare Bill Reported". The Washington Post. March 14, 1908. p. 4.
  5. ↑ "Senate Adds to Park". The Washington Post. March 22, 1908. p. 8.
  6. ↑ "District Bills". The Washington Post. December 16, 1908. p. 4.
  7. ↑ "Highway Bills in House". The Washington Post. May 17, 1911. p. 3.
  8. ↑ "Extends New Hampshire Avenue". The Washington Post. March 2, 1913. p. 4.
  9. ↑ "Reject Primary Bill: Senate District Committee Members Return Report". The Washington Post. March 9, 1912. p. 4.
  10. ↑ "Big Chillum Heights Sale". The Washington Post. April 14, 1912. p. 16.
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Coordinates: 38°57′43.5″N 77°0′18.5″W / 38.962083°N 77.005139°W