Why ‘Dave Thomas Circle,’ DC’s most infamous intersection, could soon see relief

A troublesome and dangerous intersection slows commuters and threatens safety, but D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has plans for improvements at New York and Florida avenues, northeast. Anyone who has driven through the busy crossroads that carries commuters into and out of Washington via New York Avenue can’t help but notice that traffic is obstructed by a fast-food restaurant in the middle of the crossing. A Wendy’s sits on a triangle-shaped plot of land forcing drivers to circle around the awkwardly placed restaurant to get to where they’re going.

Bowser’s proposed 2020 budget includes $240 million for streetscapes, tree planning and urban forestry. This portion of the budget also includes plans to reconstruct the intersection. “It will involve us acquiring the type of right of way that we need to make those improvements, design it and implement it and we have included funding for that,” said Mayor Bowser. The intersection bears the moniker “Dave Thomas Circle” in deference to the Wendy’s founder, but there’s nothing funny about the busy crossroads — it’s one of the city’s most dangerous intersections, chalking up 102 crashes in 2018.