New York Ave Northeast, Brentwood

One of the major ways that visitors drive into Washington, D.C. is through New York Avenue, NE, which is also U.S. Route 50 and U.S. Route 1 concurrently. For as long as I can remember, this has been a ramshackle and run-down gateway to our nation's capital, which is a shame. Once you get past the Maryland-District of Columbia border, you come up on the National Arboretum, which should be a nice place to visit, but the neighborhood is a bit run down and can be dangerous after dark. The road traverses through a heavily industrialized area, with warehouses, many of them abandoned, dotting the sides of the road and there is a rather seedy area right around the intersection of Bladensburg Road, where a lot of alleged drug dealers and prostitutes hang out. Beware if you are driving in this area, as there is a lot of violent episodes happening in this vicinity. Unfortunately, this is what newcomers and visitors see as they enter Washington, D.C. through New York Avenue, NE. Once New York Avenue gets to the area around Mount Vernon Square in the downtown area, the ambiance improves. Frankly, I don't recommend this street for anyone to live on, since whatever housing is available is run down and mostly likely rodent-infested.