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County Makes Changes To Bethesda, Woodmont Avenues Traffic Signal

By WTOP Staff

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation in January made a signal change at a busy Bethesda intersection after hearing traffic complaints around the heavily scrutinized Lot 31 construction project.

But to one Bethesda transit activist, the change should have also meant more focus on the amount of time pedestrians get to cross the road.

Ben Ross, vice president of the Action Committee for Transit, says the county’s move to extend the green signal for traffic traveling along Bethesda Avenue across Woodmont Avenue at Bethesda Row means an insufficient amount of time for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the intersection:

Of course, with their usual attitude toward pedestrians, they shortened the walk signal to cross Bethesda, but did not lengthen the walk signal to cross Woodmont.  So pedestrians, at what’s probably the busiest pedestrian crossing in the county, get just 6 seconds out of every 100 to start across the road.

County spokeswoman Esther Bowring said MCDOT did not modify the pedestrian timings, but that they are a function of the amount of time allowed for traffic on each leg of the intersection.

The intersection will be cut off at Woodmont Avenue south of Bethesda Avenue until at least the summer of 2014, as the county and developer StonebridgeCarrass build a 940-space parking garage under Woodmont Avenue and the former space of Lot 31. StonebridgeCarrass will build a 240-unit apartment and condo building with 40,000 square feet of retail on what was Lot 31.

The road has been closed since last September.

In October, Ross took to Greater Greater Washington to argue the County’s modifications at the intersection were too car-centric, especially at an intersection frequented by cyclists and pedestrians on the Capital Crescent Trail.

Bowring said the green light on Bethesda Avenue was extended after complaints from workers in an office building where cars leaving a garage were getting backed up.

In September, a worker at the building told us afternoon rush hour congestion on Bethesda Avenue sometimes meant cars were backing up to the second level of the garage and a trip that usually took about 30 seconds took eight minutes.

In a response to the complaint from Ross, Bowring also defended the county’s record on improving pedestrian safety:

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation has proven its commitment to improving pedestrian safety in the County thanks to the County Executive’s Pedestrian Safety Initiative.  Since 2009, pedestrian collisions have decreased 12 percent and the most severe collisions, those where pedestrians are incapacitated or killed, has declined 21 percent.

County Executive Isiah Leggett and other leaders last year celebrated the five-year anniversary of the Initiative.

Wisconsin Avenue between Montgomery Avenue and Leland Avenue and Old Georgetown Road between Fairmont Avenue and Edgemoor Lane were two of 10 areas the county designated as High Incidence Areas (HIAs) in which it says collisions have dropped by 45 percent since education, engineering and enforcement strategies first got almost $5 million of funding in July 2009.

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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