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Is Tuesday the new Wednesday for Thanksgiving travel?

By WTOP Staff

By Tim Bracken, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Recently, the big traffic question has been whether or not the Tuesday before Thanksgiving has become the new Wednesday. The answer is likely to be a bit complicated.

Historically, this Wednesday would be the nightmare-inducing traffic day, with so many folks getting out of work early and packing the roadways. If enough people take off early on Tuesday hoping to avoid the roadways on Wednesday, it’s sure to create an early rush hour akin to any normal Friday afternoon.

Most likely, Wednesday’s pre-Thanksgiving rush won’t be any different than any other in recent memory. Whether or not there are actually less people on the roadways, it probably won’t be noticeable to anyone who happens to be stuck in early delays.

Bottom line, expect serious delays in the I-95 corridor, and always plan an alternate. If you’re traveling into town via plane, expect delays there, and plan your driving routes (and alternates) in advance.

Keep in mind, Virginia is suspending construction closures from Wednesday to Monday afternoon, and Maryland has suspended lane closures until Tuesday the 29th.

On Thanksgiving Day, Metrorail will operate on a Sunday schedule, opening at 7 a.m. and closing at midnight, then it’s back to the regular weekday schedule on Friday. Metro says there will be no significant track work through the holiday weekend.

Read on for all of the details on Thanksgiving Day and weekend events!

Metro Thanksgiving travel information

From Metro:

To accommodate higher airport ridership, Metro will deploy additional buses on the 5A route, which serves Dulles International Airport, and will have additional buses ready to place into service as necessary on the B30 route between Greenbelt Metrorail Station and BWI Marshall Airport.

Traveling to/from Washington Union Station (Amtrak, VRE, MARC and Intercity Bus services)

Union Station is served by Metrorail’s Red Line.

Traveling to/from Reagan National Airport

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is served by Metrorail’s Blue and Yellow lines.

Traveling to/from Washington Dulles International Airport

Travelers have two options to reach Washington Dulles International Airport:

  • Take the 5A Metrobus from L’Enfant Plaza or Rosslyn Metrorail stations. The 5A provides direct service to the airport for $6. To accommodate higher ridership, Metro will operate additional 5A buses on Tuesday, Nov. 22, Wednesday, Nov. 23, and Sunday, Nov. 27.
  • Take Metro’s Orange Line to West Falls Church and then take the Washington Flyer bus to the airport.

Traveling to/from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

Travelers can reach the airport by riding Metro’s Green Line to the Greenbelt Metrorail station and transferring to the B30 Metrobus, which provides direct service from the train station to the airport for $6. Metro will monitor ridership and place additional buses into service as needed.

Thanksgiving Day, November 24: On Thanksgiving Day, Metrorail will operate on a Sunday schedule, opening at 7 a.m. and closing at midnight. Parking will be free at all Metrorail station parking facilities.

Friday, November 25: The Metrorail system will run on a regular weekday schedule from 5 a.m. to 3 a.m. Normal fares will be charged and regular weekday parking rates will apply.

Thanksgiving Day Turkey trots

There will be many runs/walks happening on Thursday:

Thanksgiving Day Trot for Hunger

The 2011 Trot for Hunger will start at 9 a.m. at Freedom Plaza, moving south on Pennsylvania Avenue, then near the Third Street Tunnel and Federal Center Metro station, and eventually back to Freedom Plaza for the finish. Check out the course map here.

Turkey Chase 10K

In Bethesda, the Turkey Chase 10K will kick off at 9401 Old Georgetown Road. The race will move along Old Georgetown Road, Cedar Lane, and Wisconsin Avenue. You can see the course map here.

Alexandria Turkey Trot

More than 4,000 people are expected to participate in Alexandria’s Turkey Trot, scheduled to kick off at 10 a.m. The race begins and ends on Mount Vernon Avenue near George Washington Middle School. Runners will move along Commonwealth Avenue and several neighborhood streets before returning to Mount Vernon Avenue. More details here.

Arlington Turkey Trot

Another popular northern Virginia run, the Arlington Turkey Trot through Lyon Park and Ashton Heights, will begin at 8 a.m.  The race is sold out, but sponsors and volunteers are still being accepted. More details here.

Virginia Run Turkey Trot

The 2011 Virginia Run Turkey Trot 5k in Centreville is also sold out, but the 2k will have on-site registration. More info here.

Reston Holiday Parade

The 21st annual Reston Holiday Parade is scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. The popular one-hour parade runs along Market Street and features giant balloons, musicians, dancers, antique cars and Santa Claus! After the parade, kids can have their pictures taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and a tree lighting ceremony takes place around 6 p.m.

Alexandria Tree Lighting Ceremony

Alexandria’s tree lighting ceremony is scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. at Market Square. There will be a message from the mayor, a visit from Santa, a performance of Santa’s Frosty Follies by the Metropolitan Fine Arts Center, and caroling with a community sing along.

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(Copyright 2011 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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