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Pedestrian safety is a priority for some counties, but not all

By WTOP Staff

Ari Ashe, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Crossing a street in the D.C. metro area can prove challenging for bikers and pedestrians, but some jurisdictions are doing a better job than others when it comes to balancing pedestrian and driver safety.

“Arlington is doing amazing work, where as Fairfax, not so much,” says Barbara McCann, founder of the National Complete Streets Coalition, an organization that pushes for transportation policies to equally consider drivers, bicyclists, mass transit and pedestrians.

Arlington is a member of the Street Smart campaign – a local campaign that addresses pedestrian and bicyclist safety – and was one of four communities in the nation to be recognized as a GOLD-Level Walk Friend Community in April 2011.

According to Street Smart, Arlington builds about 1.25 miles of new sidewalks each year and does an effective job at distributing large quantities of bike and pedestrian safety guides.

Arlington also has two groups, WalkArlington and Neighborhood 25, which actively work to ensure pedestrian safety in the county.

“They have a Complete Streets policy and they make their roads work for all users,” McCann says. “They balance all the modes of travel well.”

Additionally, Arlington gets high marks for integrating Capital Bikeshare – the largest bike-sharing program in the country – into the community. Capital Bikeshare also has stations in D.C. and Alexandria.

The City of Alexandria receives high marks for its bike trails, as well as for the city’s efforts to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety while developing Potomac Yard along Route 1.

In Maryland, Howard County is credited with being pedestrian friendly due to walkable, planned communities and manageable intersections in Columbia and Ellicott City.

On the other end, McCann points to Fairfax County in Virginia and Montgomery County in Maryland as jurisdictions with problems adopting safe streets. In Fairfax County, Route 1, U.S. Route 50, Route 7, Route 236 and Route 29 all have intersections that are difficult for pedestrians to cross, and are thus prone to pedestrian accidents.

From 2003 through 2007, each roadway had sections with between 11-24 pedestrian injuries and three-to-five fatalities, according to the Fairfax County Department of Transportation Pedestrian Program.

Between 1995 and 2007, Fairfax County averaged 14 pedestrian fatalities per year. In contrast, Arlington County had no pedestrian fatalities between 2004 and 2011.

Two pedestrians were killed in Arlington in 2012, including 30-year-old Shabnam Motahhar-Tehrani on December 24 on North Glebe Road and North Randolph Street.

In Montgomery County, pedestrian fatalities dropped from 19 in 2008 to six in 2012. The county also has a Pedestrian, Bicycle and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee that meets every other month.

However, McCann points to several intersections in Germantown, Gaithersburg and Clarksburg that are not pedestrian friendly and often lead to accidents.

“If the measure of success in Montgomery County is moving traffic quickly and that’s the only metric used, then we’ll never see pedestrian safety,” McCann says.

Montgomery County Executive launched a Pedestrian Safety Initiative in December 2007 to address these issues.

Jeff Dunckel, coordinator for the Montgomery County Department of Transportation Pedestrian Safety Initiative, says that some parts of the county were not built for pedestrians, so changes to improve safety are coming slowing.

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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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