From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

K Street is a major thoroughfare in the United States capital of Washington, D.C. known for the numerous think tanks, lobbyists, and advocacy groups that exercise influence from this location.

Contents 1 Location 2 Traffic configuration 2.1 Current 2.2 Proposed 3 Lobbying 4 K Street in the media 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

In alignment with its Cartesian-coordinate-based street system, there are two noncontiguous roadways designated as K Street within the city. The term "K Street" (without qualification) almost always refers to the northern K Street.

The northern K Street, which carries a segment of U.S. Route 29, begins in the city's Northwest quadrant as K St. N.W., just west of the abutment of the old Aqueduct Bridge in the Georgetown neighborhood. The road crosses Rock Creek and continues through downtown D.C. After its intersection with North Capitol Street, the street's designation changes to K Street N.E. as it enters the Northeast quadrant. The street ends at Florida Avenue in the Near Northeast neighborhood, just south of Gallaudet University.

The Georgetown section of the street was known as Water Street prior to the Georgetown street renaming of 1895. West of 33rd Street N.W., the United States Postal Service still recognizes both "K Street" and "Water Street" in addresses.

The southern K Street runs between the Potomac and Anacostia rivers, crossing the Southwest and Southeast quadrants (as K Street S.W. and K Street S.E., respectively).

K Street provides a major east-west thoroughfare for traffic through Washington, primarily from Mount Vernon Square to the Whitehurst Freeway. The street continues through Georgetown under the Whitehurst Freeway, however most westbound traffic exits to the freeway. A portion of the street travels in a tunnel underneath Washington Circle, allowing through traffic to avoid the circle. Portions of the street are divided into both "local" (or service) lanes and "express" lanes in both directions.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has been studying the conversion of K Street into part of a proposed busway. The route would begin at Georgetown University cross downtown Washington on K Street, switch to Massachusetts Avenue at Mount Vernon Square, and end at Union Station. Currently, the DC Circulator provides service along most of the proposed route, although it must share right of way with other vehicles.

"K Street" is a common metonym for Washington's lobbying industry. Many of the major Washington lobbying firms are located on the section which passes from Georgetown through a portion of Downtown D.C.

K Street is the home of the Associated Press Washington bureau and the AP Broadcast News Center, as well as al-Jazeera's Washington bureau. The street inspired a television series on the HBO network by the same name, K Street.

• The K St. Project

• K Street Busway project leaflet (.pdf format)
• "The Road to Riches Is Called K Street"

v • d • e Streets in Washington, D.C.
Streets	7th St. • 14th St. NW/SW • 16th St. NW • 18th St. NW • 20th St. • Branch Ave. • Canal Rd. • Connecticut Ave. • Constitution Ave. • E St. Expy. • E. Capitol St. • Florida Ave. • Georgia Ave. • H St. • Independence Ave. • K St. • Kansas Ave. • M St. • Maine Ave. • Massachusetts Ave. • New Hampshire Ave. • New York Ave. • North Dakota Ave. • Ohio Dr. • Oklahoma Ave. • Pennsylvania Ave. • Puerto Rico Ave. • Rhode Island Ave. • Rock Creek & Potomac Pkwy. • S. Capitol St. • South Dakota Ave. • Virginia Ave. • West Virginia Ave. • Whitehurst Frwy. • Wisconsin Ave.
Circles and Squares	Anna J. Cooper Circle • Barney Circle • Benjamin Banneker Circle • Columbus Circle • Dupont Circle • Farragut Square • Garfield Circle • Grant Circle • Logan Circle • Mount Vernon Square • Observatory Circle • Peace Circle • Pinehurst Circle • Randle Circle • Scott Circle • Sheridan Circle • Sherman Circle • Tenley Circle • Thomas Circle • Ward Circle • Washington Circle • Westmoreland Circle