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The surface road layout in Washington, D.C. consists primarily of numbered streets along the north–south axis and lettered streets (followed by streets named in alphabetical order) along the east–west axis. Avenues named for 48 of the 50 U.S. states plus Puerto Rico crisscross this grid diagonally, and where the avenues intersect with streets, named circles often occur, similar to squares or plazas in other cities. Some of these date back to the city's original street plan, and most do not function as modern traffic circles. Many circles are named for American Civil War generals and admirals, while several neighborhoods take their names from nearby circles. There are approximately 36 major circles currently in the district.