How to specify an address in a Google Maps Directions API URL -

how specify address in google maps web services directions api url? maps web services page states

converting url receive user input tricky. example, user may enter address "5th&main st." generally, should construct url parts, treating user input literal characters.

however isn't clear. there no examples , haven't been able find on web. mean that, given example, "5th&main st." following valid?

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/directions/json?destination=5th%26main+st.&sensor=true 

if not, correct conversion?

thanks reading.

as per understanding, looking uri encode.

in javascript:

encodeuri used encode string special characters including foreign language.

example:

var address =  "5th&main st."; var encodedaddress = encodeuri(address); 

then pass encodedaddress in google maps api.

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/directions/json?destination=encodedaddress&sensor=true 

a small list of symbol equivalent encoding (percent encoding):

space   %20 !       %21 "       %22 #       %23 $       %24 %       %25 &       %26     // happended in case '       %27 (       %28 )       %29 

once faced issue, whild doing geocoding via c#.

where did similar uri encoding using httputility.urlencode() address , passed google api mentioned in above. each language has own encoding technique, yet output same.

hope understand.