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Weekend Wakeup: Expect parades, races and overnight construction

By WTOP Staff

Dave Dildine, wtop.com

Downtown Washington will be abuzz with activity this weekend, and getting there could be tricky on some roads and on parts of the Metrorail system.

The shops and sidewalks around Gallery Place will be bustling on Sunday. The Chinese New Year Parade, replete with dragons, costumes, martial arts and musical acts, will travel along H Street and under the Friendship Arch in Chinatown Sunday afternoon. This is the year of the snake. Expect traffic congestion and local detours beginning Sunday morning in Chinatown.

Police will block H Street NW between 6th and 7th streets around 9 a.m. By 11 a.m. the following nearby streets will be closed for the duration of the celebration:

  • G Street NW from 7th Street to 9th Street NW
  • H Street NW from 8th Street to 6th Street NW
  • I Street NW from 5th Street to 7th Street NW
  • 7th Street NW from I Street to G Street NW
  • 8th Street NW from G Street to H Street NW

The combination of street closures and heavy pedestrian traffic in crosswalks will likely lead to delays on nearby roads. All streets are expected to reopen by 3:30 p.m.

In Arlington County, police will be closing South Joyce Street and sections of Army Navy Drive to allow the Love the Run You’re With 5K race on Sunday.

The affected streets are listed below:

  • South Joyce Street between South 15th Street and Army Navy Drive will be closed from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
  • Army Navy Drive between South Joyce Street and South 25th Street will be closed from 8:45 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Street parking in the area will be restricted. Motorists should be on the lookout for temporary “No Parking” signs. Illegally parked vehicles may be ticketed or towed.

On Metrorail, some track work

On Metro, this weekend’s agenda focuses on platform reconstruction, track maintenance and third rail upgrades on the Red and Orange lines. Although trains will share tracks through Rockville, Takoma Park and Falls Church, all stations will remain open and Metro plans to keep the Blue, Green or Yellow lines running at normal intervals.

Red Line

  • Trains will single track between Shady Grove and Twinbrook stations
  • Trains will single track between the Rhode Island Avenue and Takoma stations
  • Customers riding through either work zone should add about 15 minutes to their travel time

Orange Line

No track work is scheduled for Sunday and no train delays are expected.

Nighttime Road Work Ahead

Construction on the roads will take place mainly during the overnight hours this weekend.

Work on the Contee Road bridge project over Interstate 95 west of Laurel will resume Sunday evening. Crews plan to start blocking northbound lanes of I-95 by 7 p.m. By midnight, three lanes will be closed. Occasionally crews will need to stop northbound traffic to reposition equipment and supplies.

Love The Run You’re With 5k

In Pentagon City, the Love The Run You’re With 5k will kick off Sunday from the Pentagon Row Mall at 9 a.m. Arlington County police will block portions of South Joyce Street and Army Navy Drive to accommodate the runners.

  • South Joyce Street closed between 15th Street and Army Navy Drive from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.
  • Army Navy Drive closed between Joyce Street and 25th Street from 8:45 to 10:00 a.m.

Obey all posted “No Parking” signs and consider parking in the Pentagon City Mall garage. Authorities encourage attendees to use the Pentagon City Metro Station to access the event.

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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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