New Hampshire Avenue passes through several Washington neighborhoods including Foggy Bottom, Dupont Circle, Petworth and Lamond-Riggs.

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 U.S. Capitol and divides the city into its northwest and northeast quadrants.

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.

[3] Thomas H. Carter of Montana[4] and Jacob H. Gallinger of New Hampshire submitted the bill to the Senate.

[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.