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DDOT hopes to ease congestion at the Mamie Johnson Plaza formerly known as Dave Thomas Circle
WASHINGTON — D.C. drivers are navigating changes to one of the city’s most infamous intersections. The Mamie Peanut Johnson Plaza, formerly Dave Thomas Circle, unveiled new traffic patterns this weekend. However, Monday was the first real test with weekday commuters.
The first major change drivers will notice is Florida Avenue is now a two-way street. Drivers can cross New York Avenue to continue south down Florida Avenue, NE toward Gallaudet University. A left turn light also allows drivers to safely make a left turn from Florida onto New York Avenue toward Route 50 out to Maryland.
Now there is still a lot of construction that drivers and cyclists will have to navigate, but the new traffic pattern should ease congestion. According to DDOT, New York and Florida Avenues is one of the most traveled intersections in the city with an average of 99,000 vehicles passing through each day.
The $42 million project really got its kick start three years ago when the city took Wendy’s by eminent domain, opening the way to finally rework a long-troubled intersection.
We caught up with some folks who have been working in this area for 20 years and say this is the third time the city has reconfigured the plaza.
“The last one was awful! Too many accidents and if you stood right here in this intersection you would at least be sitting 20 minutes to 30 minutes at this light just to get home,” said Shina Moye.
“I’m hoping third times a charm,” added her coworker Angie Middleton. “Today will be my first day to day I’m so excited to be able to go through the light, make a left, and go up the hill to go home.”
“Capital Dialysis employees will test it out because we come through this area,” added Moye. “I’m glad they worked on it because we have patients who have transportation services and sometimes if they get stuck here, they get their treatments late.”
DDOT says they synchronized up the traffic lights this weekend to ease congestion and will continue to monitor. A spokesperson says Waze is showing the new traffic pattern and they are reaching out to Google and Apple to make sure they do too.
DDOT Acting Director Sharon Kershabaum says the change is much needed.
“We’re excited. When the circle was originally designed, they didn’t have the same volume. The ATF headquarters wasn’t there, the NOMA Metro wasn’t there,” Kershabaum explained. “We’re going to have improvements to sidewalks, improvements to pavement markings, bike lanes in some cases we’re adding new bike lanes, others we’ll upgrade existing bike lanes. Our goal is safety for all roadway users.”
Mamie Johnson Plaza is still a work in progress with the construction of three parklets set to open in December.
Read more about the project here.
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