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Dave Thomas probably wouldn’t have approved of "Dave Thomas Circle," anyway. After all, he prefers squares.
Officials in Washington, D.C., have used eminent domain to acquire a property at the center of the city’s most "notorious" intersection — a property that currently houses a Wendy’s restaurant — in order to make improvements and rework traffic for the safety of motorists and cyclists.
Constriction on the intersection, often referred to as "Dave Thomas Circle" in honor of Wendy’s founder and square-burger proponent Dave Thomas, will begin in 2022.
The property that houses the Wendy's currently sits at the intersection of New York Avenue, NE, Florida Avenue, NE, and First Street, NE. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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"Almost every Washingtonian has their own Dave Thomas Circle horror story," said Mayor Muriel Bowser in announcing the news on Monday. "Now, we are taking the necessary actions to transform this confusing intersection into a multimodal project that supports the current and future needs of DC drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians."
"We are grateful to all of the input and advocacy from neighbors, local businesses and nonprofits, the Council, and federal partners, and know that more collaboration will be needed as we redesign and reimagine this important landmark."
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Improvements planned for Dave Thomas Circle currently include adding two-way traffic to First Street, restoring two-way traffic to Florida Avenue, adding protected bike lanes and creating new public park spaces, among other improvements. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will handle the redesign on behalf of Mayor Bowser’s "Vision Zero" initiative aimed at reducing traffic accidents and fatalities. Plans are expected to be complete by summer 2021.
It’s unclear how much the overhaul is projected to cost; Eater D.C. reported that the city will pay $13.1 million to compensate the restaurant’s property owner alone, citing court documents obtained by Bisnow. Records from the DDOT show that Mayor Bowswer proposed a $240 million budget for "streetscape improvements, including a redesign of Dave Thomas Circle" back in 2019.
The city has long acknowledged the "unusual geometry, turning movements, closely spaced intersections, and high traffic volumes" that make the intersection tricky, if not dangerous, to navigate. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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At the time, the DDOT acknowledged the "unusual geometry, turning movements, closely spaced intersections, and high traffic volumes" that make the intersection tricky, if not dangerous, to navigate.
Residents and visitors to DC have also long complained of traffic at Dave Thomas Circle, some of whom took to Twitter this week to joke about their thoughts on the project.
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Concerned DC residents can track the DDOT’s progress at the Florida Ave Project website.
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