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Weekend Wakeup: Inauguration Day Edition

By WTOP Staff

Dave Dildine, wtop.com


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WASHINGTON – A large migration to the nation’s capital will peak this weekend as the final preparations for the 57th Presidential Inauguration are rushed to completion.

Downtown streets will close, Metro will adopt a nonstop rush hour schedule and city bus routes will change as locals and visitors descend on Washington D.C. for President Barack Obama’s second inauguration.

Travel into and through downtown Washington will become increasingly difficult as the weekend progresses. Those planning to attend the inauguration on Monday morning are strongly encouraged to use public transportation.

Driving and Road Restrictions

Street closures in downtown Washington will go into effect before dawn on Monday morning. All streets near the National Mall will be closed. In general, vehicles will be prohibited on streets from north of Lafayette Park to south of the National Mall as well as east to Capitol Hill and Union Station.

Vehicle restrictions across a broader portion of downtown, including parts of Chinatown and the West End, will be implemented on Sunday and will last until early Tuesday morning.

From Virginia, inbound drivers on Interstate 66 will be directed onto the northbound Potomac River Freeway toward Pennsylvania Avenue and Virginia Avenue. The Memorial Bridge will be closed to vehicular travel, but pedestrians will be allowed to cross the bridge. On Interstate 395, northbound drivers will be able to continue onto the Southwest Freeway, but the ramps to 14th Street, the 12th Street Expressway and the 3rd Street Tunnel will all be closed.

The 3rd Street Tunnel (I-395) will be closed in both directions between New York Avenue NW and the Southeast/Southwest Freeway.

Travelers headed into upper Northwest and Northeast Washington may find the trip less complicated. The Key Bridge and Chain Bridge will remain open. All Anacostia River bridges will remain open.

From Maryland, all routes into the city will be open.

HOV restrictions will be lifted around the region on Monday.

Travelers who are planning on driving in the city this weekend should stay alert as they approach crosswalks. There will be plenty of pedestrians and cyclists out and about visiting the local attractions on Saturday and Sunday, along with huge crowds walking and biking to and from the National Mall on Monday.

Besides the abnormal morning rush hour, traffic on routes outside the city should remain light, as Monday is a federal holiday.

For more information and a list of specific road closures and transit changes, see WTOP’s Inauguration Day survival guide.

Metrorail

Metrorail will operate on a regular weekend schedule on Saturday and Sunday. On Inauguration Day, Metro plans to provide nonstop rush hour service from 4 a.m. until 2 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Be prepared for heavy traffic near the outermost Metro station parking lots beginning early Monday morning. Some parking areas may fill to capacity quickly. Metro will enforce normal weekday parking fees at all parking facilities.

Passengers planning to ride Metro on Monday may want to consider purchasing a farecard in advance. Expect long lines at ticketing kiosks and large crowds on station platforms. Officials may intermittently stop customers at the entrances to some stations to prevent overcrowding on the station platforms. Escalators at some stations may be intentionally disabled to promote the flow of customers to and from the gates.

For security purposes, the Smithsonian, Archives and Mt. Vernon Square stations will be closed all day.

The Metro stations closest to The Mall will be the most crowded before and especially after the ceremony and parades conclude. L’Enfant Plaza will likely be among the most crowded stations on Monday.

To maximize space, bicycles and large coolers and containers will be prohibited on Metro trains throughout the long weekend.

Downtown Metro bus routes have been shortened or rerouted around the street closures near the National Mall. The Circulator bus will not be running on Monday, Jan. 21, but regular service will resume on Tuesday, January 22. Customers who wish to travel through downtown areas should use Metrorail to complete their trip.

Travel by Plane and Train

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) expects the largest crowds at Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport on Tuesday, the day after Inauguration Day. Passengers with outgoing flights should arrive at the airport two to four hours before their departure time.

In Maryland, MARC trains will operate on a special Inauguration Day fare and train schedule. Tickets are limited. Regular MARC tickets will not be accepted.

In Virginia, there will be no VRE service on Monday.

For more, see Max Smith’s tips for plane and train travel on Inauguration Day.

Other Events

There are many celebrations set to take place around the city this weekend that could lead to localized delays.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday is celebrated on Monday. Expect a great deal of foot traffic along Independence Avenue near the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial as visitors pay tribute to the civil rights leader. A parade and peace walk will step off from Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE and Milwaukee Place SE on Saturday at 11 a.m. On Sunday evening, the “Let Freedom Ring” concert featuring Smokey Robinson and the Let Freedom Ring Celebration Choir will take place at the Kennedy Center.

Several balls and galas will take place around the city this weekend. The official Inaugural Ball will take place Monday evening at the DC Convention Center. Expect crowds and congestion near the venue. Those with tickets should remember that the Mt. Vernon Square Metro station is scheduled to be closed on Monday.

For more, see Michelle Basch’s Friday Freebies.

Weather

The WTOP Weather Team is forecasting the mercury to begin dropping late Sunday as a cold front sweeps through the region. Early morning temperatures on Inauguration Day will likely be in the 20s and will only rise to the mid-30s by noon. A few snow showers or flurries are possible, but no significant accumulation is expected. If people are headed downtown, they should dress warmly, in layers.

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(Copyright 2013 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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