Dave Thomas Circle

Dave Thomas Circle is the unofficial nickname for a small triangular block in Northeast Washington, D.C. and the surrounding streets and traffic pattern. It is bounded by Florida Avenue, New York Avenue and First Street Northeast, with O Street Northeast and Ecklington Place Northeast also terminating along the block. It is located on the eastern edge of the L'Enfant Plan.[1]

Not to be confused with Thomas Circle, a traffic circle in Northwest Washington, D.C., named for George Henry Thomas.
Dave Thomas Circle
Dave Thomas Circle in the L'enfant plan
Location
Eckington, Northwest, Washington, D.C.
Coordinates38.90896°N 77.00549°W / 38.90896; -77.00549
Roads at
junction		Florida Avenue, New York Avenue and First Street Northeast, with O Street Northeast and Ecklington Place Northeast
Construction
TypeTraffic circle
Maintained byDDOT

Background

The circle is a result in a gap in the original L'Enfant Plan plan. The plan ended where east-west O Street and north-south First Street reached Boundary Street (now Florida Avenue).[1] As development increased over time, traffic congestion increased. Currently, the only property on the block is a Wendy's fast food restaurant franchise and its parking lot, leading to the Dave Thomas Circle name, after the late Dave Thomas, who founded Wendy's in 1969 and served as its long-time spokesman.

A 2010 project by the city's Department of Transportation made each of the streets one-way around the block, similar to a traffic circle. The department calls the traffic pattern a "virtual circle."[2] In 2019, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser asked for $35 million for the city to buy the Wendy's and reconfigure the intersection to make it better for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. It would likely eliminate Dave Thomas Circle. Her request is subject to approval by the Council of the District of Columbia.[3]

In 2021, the District Department of Transportation acquired the Wendy's restaurant and property through eminent domain to enable the city to demolish the building, rebuild the intersection and eliminate the circle, with the exact design yet to be determined. The city plans to start construction in early 2022.[4]

References
  1. Zak, Dan (December 26, 2017). "What's a Wendy's doing there? The story of Washington's weirdest traffic circle". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  2. "Florida Avenue Multimodal Transportation Project" (PDF). District of Columbia Department of Transportation. 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  3. Kurzis, Rachel (March 20, 2019). "The City Just Got One Step Closer To Seizing The Wendy's In The Middle Of Dave Thomas Circle". DCist. Washington, D.C. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  4. Hedgpeth, Dana (February 2, 2021). "D.C. acquires 'Dave Thomas Circle' on New York Avenue through eminent domain". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
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