Independence Avenue SW received its current name after Congress renamed the street in legislation approved on April 13, 1934.

The government of the District of Columbia renamed the portion of the road in the southeast quadrant of the city, west of the Anacostia River, in 1950.

Congress also ordered that the dredged material be used to fill in what remained of the Tiber Creek estuary and build up much of the land near the White House and along Pennsylvania Avenue NW, by nearly 6 feet (1.8 m) to form a kind of levee.

[7] Congress first appropriated money for the beautification of the reclaimed land in 1902, which led to the planting of sod, bushes, and trees; grading and paving of sidewalks, bridle paths, and driveways; and the installation of water, drainage, and sewage pipes.

[9] The National Capital Park and Planning Commission approved the significant widening of North B Street into a ceremonial avenue.

[10] On February 25, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed legislation which renamed North B Street as Constitution Avenue.

That year, the National Capital Park and Planning Commission (NCPPC) advocated turning the roadway into a much-widened ceremonial avenue as a counterpart to North B Street.

Between 12th and 14th Streets SW, the street would be 80 feet (24 m) wide, to accommodate the piers supporting the planned pedestrian skyways linking the United States Department of Agriculture headquarters building with the new United States Department of Agriculture South Building.

[14] The NCPPC had already won the support of the Architect of the Capitol for the plan, which agreed in 1930 to move the new House office building to the south in order to accommodate the wider avenue.

The idea was conceived by the federation's past president, Fred A. Emery, who observed that no major thoroughfare in the city commemorated George Washington (whose bicentennial birth was being celebrated that year).

There was also concern that the road would interfere with the Tidal Basin, which served as a flushing system of the downtown sewer network.

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.

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).

At its eastern terminus, Independence Avenue SE becomes East Capitol Street as it reaches the Whitney Young Memorial Bridge over the Anacostia River.

Independence Avenue SW is a major commuting route, and carries very heavy automobile traffic during rush hour weekday mornings and evenings.

At all other times, including weekends, it sees significant use by residents seeking to access Virginia via Arlington Memorial Bridge and by tour buses.