Washington Circle is a traffic circle

Traffic circle

A traffic circle or rotary is a type of circular intersection in which traffic must travel in one direction around a central island. In some countries, traffic entering the circle has the right-of-way and drivers in the circle must yield. In many other countries, traffic entering the circle must...

 in the Northwest quadrant

Quadrants of Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., is administratively divided into four geographical quadrants of unequal size, each delineated by their ordinal directions from the medallion located in the Crypt under the Rotunda of the Capitol...

 of Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

, United States. It is the intersection of 23rd Street, K Street

K Street (Washington, D.C.)

K Street is a major thoroughfare in the United States capital of Washington, D.C. known as a center for numerous think tanks, lobbyists, and advocacy groups.-Location:...

, New Hampshire Avenue

New Hampshire Avenue

New Hampshire Avenue is a diagonal street in Washington, D.C., beginning at the Kennedy Center and extending northeast for about 5 miles and then continuing into Maryland where it is designated Maryland Route 650. New Hampshire Avenue, however, is not contiguous...

, and Pennsylvania Avenue

Pennsylvania Avenue

Pennsylvania Avenue is a street in Washington, D.C. that joins the White House and the United States Capitol. Called "America's Main Street", it is the location of official parades and processions, as well as protest marches...

, N.W., on the border of the Foggy Bottom and West End

West End, Washington, D.C.

The West End is a neighborhood of the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., bounded by K Street to the south, Rock Creek Park to the west and north, and New Hampshire Avenue and 21st Street to the east. The West End is so named because it was the westernmost part of the original Pierre L'Enfant...

 neighborhoods. The through lanes of K Street (which are U.S. Route 29

U.S. Route 29

U.S. Route 29 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, to Pensacola, Florida. This highway's northern terminus is at Maryland Route 99 in Ellicott City, Maryland...

) travel underneath the circle in a tunnel, while the service lanes intersect the circle.

History

Washington Circle became the first traffic circle in Washington, D.C., when Reservation 26 was enclosed and landscaped in 1856.

A bronze equestrian statue, sculpted by Clark Mills

Clark Mills (sculptor)

Clark Mills was an American sculptor, best known for three versions of an equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson, located in Washington, D.C., Nashville, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana.-Life:...

 and depicting George Washington

George Washington

George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...

 riding his horse during the Battle of Princeton

Battle of Princeton

The Battle of Princeton was a battle in which General George Washington's revolutionary forces defeated British forces near Princeton, New Jersey....

, was installed in the center of the circle on February 22, 1860, at a total cost of $60,000. The National Park Service

National Park Service

The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...

 now maintains Washington Circle's park, the public space surrounding Washington's statue.

In 1862, streetcars tracks were laid around Washington Circle, but were not properly maintained during the turbulent years of the Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

. Track improvements were made during the 1870s and the park was redesigned in 1885. To ease traffic congestion, Washington Circle was redesigned in 1932, followed by construction of the K Street underpass in 1961–1962.

Neighborhood

The Foggy Bottom campus of The George Washington University (GWU) adjoins Washington Circle. After construction is completed, GWU's Square 54

Square 54 Redevelopment

Square 54 Redevelopment is a complex of high-rise buildings located on the main campus of The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., United States. The new GW complex is mixed-use, with residential and office buildings and ground-level retail space along Eye Street to serve the campus...

 complex will be located directly south of the circle, near The George Washington University Hospital. The closest Washington Metro

Washington Metro

The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...

 station is Foggy Bottom–GWU.

External links

• ANC 2A, Washington Circle's Advisory Neighborhood Commission
  Advisory Neighborhood Commission
  thumb|right|upright|The District of Columbia is divided into 8 wards, each of which is further divided into local ANCs.Advisory Neighborhood Commissions are bodies of local government in Washington, D.C...