Whitney Young Memorial Bridge in the context of "New Commanders Stadium"

Independence Avenue is a major east–west street in the southwest and southeast quadrants of the city of Washington, D.C., in the United States, running just south of the United States Capitol. Originally named South B Street, Independence Avenue SW was constructed between 1791 and 1823. Independence Avenue SE was constructed in pieces as residential development occurred east of the United States Capitol and east of the Anacostia River. Independence Avenue received its current name after Congress renamed the street in 1934.

Independence Avenue SW originally had its western terminus at 14th Street SW, but was extended west to Ohio Drive SW between 1941 and 1942. 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. Independence Avenue SE encircles the southern end of the former RFK Stadium before ending at East Capitol Street near the Whitney Young Memorial Bridge.

East Capitol Street is a major street that divides the northeast and southeast quadrants of Washington, D.C., United States. It runs due east from the United States Capitol to the DC-Maryland border. The street is uninterrupted until Lincoln Park then continues eastward around the RFK Stadium campus. East of the stadium, East Capitol crosses the Anacostia River via the Whitney Young Memorial Bridge and then goes underneath Route 295 before crossing into Prince George's County, Maryland, where it becomes Maryland State Highway 214.

The western stretch of East Capitol Street passes through the Capitol Hill and Hill East neighborhoods. East Capitol Street is home to the Folger Shakespeare Library, US-Asia Institute, Les Aspin Center for Government, East Capitol Street Car Barn, D.C. Armory, and the future New Commanders Stadium.

Kingman and Heritage Islands are artificial islands located in the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. Both islands were built from material dredged from the river and completed in 1916. Kingman Island is bordered on the east by the River and on the west by the 110-acre (45 ha) Kingman Lake. Heritage Island is surrounded by Kingman Lake. Both islands were federally owned property managed by the National Park Service until the D.C. government took control in 1995.

Kingman Island is bisected by Benning Road via the Ethel Kennedy Bridge at a place called the Burnham Barrier, with the southern half of the island bisected by East Capitol Street via the Whitney Young Memorial Bridge. Langston Golf Course occupied the northern half of Kingman Island, while Heritage Island and the southern half of Kingman Island constitute the protected Kingman and Heritage Island Park. The former RFK Stadium and future New RFK Stadium campus are located to the west. Kingman Island and Lake are named after Dan Christie Kingman, the former head of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.