WASHINGTON — A federal planning commission has adopted a new plan to guide redevelopment of a 15-block section of southwest Washington to link the National Mall to the city’s Southwest Waterfront.

The National Capital Planning Commission accepted the Southwest Ecodistrict Plan on Thursday and will begin using it to evaluate development projects over the next 20 years.

The idea is to transform a mostly federal section of Washington into a more walkable, mixed-use neighborhood. It could become a prime location for new museums, memorials and urban development.

The area is bounded by Independence Avenue, Maine Avenue, 12th and 4th streets Southwest. Currently, the federal government owns about 56 percent of the land, including eight buildings. A quarter of the area is privately owned. The remainder is streets, freeways and rail lines.

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