Events: Help design better public spaces at “Dave Thomas Circle”

The NoMa Parks Foundation wants opinions for the potential designs of three new public spaces that will appear at the intersection of New York Avenue NE and Florida Avenue NE, also commonly referred to as “Dave Thomas Circle.”

The District Department of Transportation has an effort underway to revamp the intersection, including hopefully buying the Wendy’s in a triangular parcel between those two avenues and First Street NE. This has been long been a congested and dangerous intersection, and DDOT concluded demolishing the Wendy’s was the way to make it safer.

Without the Wendy’s, a new reconfigured intersection will leave three roughly triangular parcels of open space. What should go there? That’s what the NoMa Parks Foundation wants to talk about in an event, which is free and open to the public, Monday at 7 pm. Register here.

Here are other events from around the region:

Monday, May 18

Help improve traffic safety in Wards 5 and 8: WABA is hosting its monthly conversation about traffic safety in Ward 8. The meeting starts at 5 pm on Monday. Click here for details. Later that evening, a group of Ward 5 neighbors are convening to discuss safer streets and protected bike lanes in their communities. The event is sponsored by Safe Streets for Ward 5, and you can join this conversation here on Monday at 7 pm. Both events are free and open to the public.

Wednesday, May 20

Get tips for encouraging people to take transit after a crisis. The Eno Center for Transportation is hosting a new webinar series called Road to Recovery. The conversations will focus on how transportation organizations and industry professionals can strategically prepare for the future. The first iteration, on Wednesday at 1 pm, is being led by Carmen Bianco — the CEO of New York City Transit. The event is free and open to the public. You can register here.

How to ease car congestion around schools: Roads surrounding local schools during pick-up and drop-off times can be a traffic-congested nightmare. As part of goDCgo’s School Services launch, the organization will share how administrators can encourage staff and students to bike, walk, carpool, and take public transit to school, to reduce congestion and parking demand. The virtual event begins at 11 am Wednesday, and is free and open to the public. You can register here.

Saturday, May 23

Move over cars, bikes need the road, too! Join WABA for a virtual lesson on how to confidently bike in traffic. Not only is this event free and open to the public, participants will also receive a coupon for a free Confident City Cycle class. The class, hosted by WABA’s Adult Education Coordinator Sydney Sotelo, is on Saturday at 1 pm. Get more info here.