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Weekend Wakeup: Silver Line construction to close four Metro stations

By WTOP Staff

Dave Dildine, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – There will be a few work zones worth avoiding on parts of the Metrorail system this weekend.

Riders on the Orange Line will face a detour as crews work to join the Silver Line tracks to the Metrorail system in Falls Church.

Road construction should not cause any major disruptions to travel. The various projects scheduled along parts of Interstate 95, the Capital Beltway, Interstate 270 and New York Avenue in Northeast D.C. will occur during the overnight and morning hours. In Southeast D.C., demolition work is scheduled on Sunday near the 11th Street Bridge. A short stretch of M Street is expected to be blocked near the Navy Yard.

Wet weather may hinder work crews Saturday. Drivers should prepare for slippery conditions and road spray, especially south and east of Washington.

On Metro, detours and delays

Metro riders who use the Orange Line this weekend in Virginia should expect delays.

The Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project continues construction of the Silver Line. There will be no rail service between Ballston and Vienna.

There will also be two work zones on the Red Line this weekend. Metro cancelled its previously scheduled testing of railcars along the Green Line this weekend. The Blue and Yellow lines are expected to run at normal intervals.

Orange Line

  • Free shuttle buses replace trains on the Orange Line between Vienna and Ballston.
  • Vienna, Dunn Loring, West Falls Church and East Falls Church stations will be closed.
  • Work begins on Friday at 10 p.m. and lasts through system closing Sunday.
  • Express buses will connect riders directly between Vienna and Ballston. Delays up to 25 minutes are possible.
  • Local buses will ferry customers to each of the four closed stations. Delays up to 50 minutes are possible.

Red Line

  • Single tracking between Friendship Heights and Van Ness.
  • Single tracking between Takoma and Rhode Island Avenue.
  • Riders traveling through either work zone should expect delays of up to 20 minutes.
  • Red Line trains will operate at maximum of 24 minute intervals, with increased service during the daytime hours downtown.

Road work ahead, weather permitting

Crews plan to work on a guardrail along I-270 between Clopper Road and Route 118 in Germantown if the weather cooperates. Crews may block up to two lanes either way at times throughout the day. Delays are not expected to result from this work.

Bridge inspection on I-270 under Route 28 in Rockville is scheduled on Sunday from 5 a.m. until noon. Up to two northbound lanes may be closed during this time.

Saturday night repair work on the Beltway is scheduled to block the express lanes ramps to and from Gallows Road. The repair work will last until 8 a.m. Sunday.

Monthly maintenance testing of the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge is scheduled for this Sunday morning, Feb. 24, from 5 a.m. through 8 a.m. The bridge will be fully open much of that time and traffic will not be able to get by.

M Street and bridge demolition

On Sunday, a portion of M Street Southeast will be blocked for demolition of the old inbound span of the 11th Street Bridge. The work is scheduled to take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Most of the old bridge has already been dismantled but the defunct abutments remain exposed on the western edge of the Anacostia River, south of M Street.

The demolition will require crews to block the off-ramp from the current inbound 11th Street Bridge to M Street. Travelers headed to Navy Yard should exit onto 8th Street SE instead. The main bridge will remain open but the inbound side of the smaller Local 11th Street Bridge between Anacostia and Navy Yard will be closed.

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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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