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Weekend Wakeup Call: New I-66 flyover ramp opens Saturday

By WTOP Staff

Tim Bracken, wtop.com

Weekend Wakeup Call – Friday, Dec. 16 to Monday, Dec. 19

It’s hard to believe that the end of the year is almost here, but Metro gives us a pleasant reminder, announcing its final weekend of construction for 2011. On Saturday morning, we should be entering the Inner Loop from eastbound I-66 on the right side (no longer from the left), so we’ll see if that is an improvement on traffic flow. There are a couple of notable traffic items for the District, including a traffic shift on Benning Road and a temporary closure of Broad Branch Road.

Also included, a partial non-weekend alert: Canal Road NW will be closed Friday for cleanup and maintenance. Have a great weekend!

Metro construction update

This will be Metro’s last weekend of construction for the year. Those of us who have gotten used to multiple station closures and incessant single tracking will have a little holiday reprieve. I’ve shared this news with several people, and most reactions are similar.

Trains will be single tracking this weekend, beginning at 10 p.m. Friday and continuing through closing Sunday night.

From Metro:

Red Line
The most significant work of the weekend will take place on the Red Line, where crews will advance efforts to stabilize a water main that runs through the mezzanine level of Farragut North Station. The heavy construction work requires that one Red Line track be taken out of service between Dupont Circle and Judiciary Square for the safety of workers and customers.

  • Red Line trains will operate every 20 minutes through the work zone, with service between Shady Grove and Glenmont.
  • Additional Red Line service will operate on Saturday and Sunday between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 9 p.m., with trains departing every 10 minutes from Shady Grove and Glenmont. However, every other train from Shady Grove station will turn back at Dupont Circle; every other train from Glenmont will turn back at Union Station.
  • The last train departing Glenmont station will leave 11 minutes earlier than usual — at 2:26 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and at 11:26 p.m. on Sunday.
  • Customers should allow about 30 minutes of additional travel time and expect crowding conditions.

Orange Line

  • Orange Line trains will share one track between East Falls Church and West Falls Church to allow for fiber optic cable installation.
  • Orange Line trains will depart every 20 minutes from Vienna and New Carrollton.
  • Stations served by Orange and Blue line trains will have service every 10 minutes.

Blue Line

  • Blue Line trains will share one track in two sections: between Stadium-Armory and Addison Road for repairs to floating slabs underneath the rails, and between Reagan National Airport and Braddock Road for rail and tie renewal.
  • Throughout the weekend, Blue Line trains will depart every 20 minutes from Franconia-Springfield and Largo Town Center.
  • Stations served by Orange and Blue line trains will have service every 10 minutes.

Green/Yellow Lines

  • Yellow Line trains will share one track between Reagan National Airport and Braddock Road for rail and tie renewal.
  • Throughout the weekend, Yellow Line trains will operate every 20 minutes between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Sq. only; customers traveling to/from stations north of Mt .Vernon Sq. should use Green Line trains to complete their trip.
  • Green Line trains will operate at regular weekend service levels, with minor schedule adjustments due to single tracking between College Park and Greenbelt for track inspection. Every other train will turn back at College Park station during daytime hours.

I-66/I-495 construction update

On Saturday morning, you might notice another little advancement in the HOT Lanes Project. Drivers on eastbound I-66 exiting to the Inner Loop of I-495 will be shifted to the new flyover ramp bringing traffic onto I-495 north on the right side, eliminating the left lane merge from the old eastbound ramp toward Tysons Corner.

To facilitate that opening, there will be some closures Friday night between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m.:

  • Both exits from EB I-66 to the Inner Loop of I-495 will be closed
  • On the Inner Loop I-495, three lanes will be blocked

Telegraph Road interchange construction

In Alexandria, construction on the ramp from the Outer Loop of I-495 to Telegraph Road/N Kings Highway/Huntington Avenue will have a construction closure. The portion of the ramp that continues to Huntington Avenue will be closed, while access to Telegraph Road and N Kings Highway remains open. This will be a continuous closure through the weekend, ending by Monday at 5 a.m.

Canal Road NW midday closure

Canal Road has been closed each day this week for cleanup and maintenance, and that closure will continue Friday. Here are the specifics:

  • Friday starting at 10:15 a.m. — Canal Road NW will be closed between Arizona Avenue and Foxhall Rd
  • Traffic will be detoured to MacArthur Boulevard to get around the closure
  • Crews will clear by 2 p.m. at the latest

Broad Branch Road to be closed

DDOT plans to temporarily close Broad Branch Road NW between Brandywine and Ridge Roads. The closure is planned to be in place by this Monday, Dec. 19, and will remain in place for an estimated 30-45 day period while crews repair the collapsed culvert over Soapstone Creek.

Benning Road traffic shift

The Benning Road reconstruction project continues on Monday with a new long-term traffic shift between 39th and 42nd Streets NE. DDOT says that both directions of traffic will be shifted to the outer limits of the roadway while crews work behind concrete barriers in the center of the roadway.

12 Days of Merriment in Georgetown

Through Dec. 20,  12 Days of Merriment in Georgetown is all about holiday shopping specials and events, $2 flat rate parking and more. More info here.

Downtown Holiday Market

Centered at 8th and F Streets NW, the Downtown Holiday Market is in its seventh year. Through Dec. 23, you’ll find a little “shopping village” set up between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. Lots of local boutique businesses will be featured — and on the weekends you can enjoy some live music. Check the schedule here.

Gaylord National’s ICE!

Holiday fun continues at National Harbor with Gaylord National’s ICE!,  a walk-through attraction featuring characters from Dreamworks’ Merry Madagascar brought to life in the form of giant ice sculptures. The event will run through Jan. 8.

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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