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Weekend Wakeup: Marathon to close roads, Metro stations

By WTOP Staff

Amanda Iacone and Dave Dildine, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Drivers coming into D.C. and Arlington should be prepared for widespread road closures as the Marine Corp Marathon gets underway Sunday.

The AIDS Walk and Howard University Homecoming Parade will also foil drivers. Metro riders will have a smoother ride with four of the five lines operating regular service.

Marine Corps Marathon

Sunday, 30,000 runners are expected to participate in the 26.2-mile race, which starts at 7:55 a.m. in Arlington. The long course, which will cross the Potomac into the District, will affect Metrorail, Metrobus and car traffic.

The race will close major arteries including parts of Pennsylvania, Constitution and Independence avenues along with the Key and Memorial bridges. The George Washington and Rock Creek parkways will also be closed due to the marathon.

Drivers in Georgetown will be impacted by the marathon as several major routes will be blocked including Foxhall Road, Canal Road and M Street. There are numerous road closures in Rosslyn and near the Pentagon including Route 110 and Washington Boulevard.

Some roads in Arlington will close as early as 4 a.m. Roads will close in the District at 6:50 a.m. All roads are expected to reopen by 1:30 p.m. A list of road closures in both Arlington and D.C. is posted on the Marine Corps Marathon’s website.

Metro will open early for the race at 5 a.m. Sunday.

Race participants should use the Pentagon Station on the Blue and Yellow lines to reach the start line. The Arlington Cemetery Station will be closed until 8:30 a.m. after the race has started. Runners should use the Arlington station to leave the event or to access the finish line.

Additional Blue Line trains will run between Franconia-Springfield and Stadium- Armory from 5 to 8:15 a.m. and again between 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

The race will also limit bus access. The Pentagon Bus Terminal will be closed from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. To access Metrobus, riders should use the Pentagon City Station. And the Rosslyn Bus Terminal will also be closed from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. Riders can access Metrobus at Oak Street instead.

You can see a map of the race route here.

AIDS Walk

The AIDS Walk Washington, a 5K race, will stage on Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 13th and 14th Streets, which will close beginning 7 p.m. Friday and remain closed until 2 p.m. Saturday.

The race begins at 8:30 a.m. and will close the following roads:

  • Route will begin and end at 12th Street, NW and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
  • East on Pennsylvania Avenue, NW towards 3rd Street, NW
  • South on 3rd Street, NW to D Street, SW
  • West on D Street, SW to 4th Street, SW
  • North on 4th Street, SW to Independence Avenue, SW
  • West on Independence Avenue, SW to 7th Street, SW (turn around)
  • East on Independence Avenue, SW to 3rd Street, SW
  • North on 3rd Street, SW to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
  • West on Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to the finish line

Howard University Homecoming Parade

Howard University is set to celebrate Homecoming with its annual parade Saturday. Staging begins at 7 a.m., at the Johnson Administration Building, 2400 6th Street NW, on campus. The parade begins at 10 a.m. and roads are expected to reopen after 12:30 p.m.

Roads that will be closed during the parade are:

  • North on 6th Street, NW to Fairmont Street, NW
  • West on Fairmont Street, NW to Georgia Avenue, NW
  • South on Georgia Avenue, NW to Florida Avenue, NW
  • Southeast on Florida Avenue, NW to 5th Street, NW
  • North on 5th Street, NW to T Street, NW
  • East on T Street, NW to Anna Cooper Circle, NW
  • Southeast around the circle to 3rd Street, NW
  • North on 3rd Street, NW to Elm Street, NW
  • East on Elm Street, NW to 2nd Street, NW
  • North on 2nd Street, NW to Bryant Street, NW
  • West on Bryant Street, NW to 4th Street, NW
  • North on 4th Street, NW to the Valley (between College Street, NW and Howard Place, NW where parade will disband)

Metro

Track work along the Orange line will reduce service to Landover and New Carrollton between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday. Every other train will run between Vienna and Cheverly. Riders travelling to or from Landover and New Carrollton should add about 12 minutes to their travel time

Sunday, trains will run every 16 minutes between Vienna and New Carrollton.

The other four lines will run on a regular weekend schedule. The Metro system will open early Sunday for the Marine Corps Marathon.

U.S. Route 29 Bridge Replacement

A portion of U.S. Route 29 in Gainesville will be closed this weekend to replace a bridge over North Fork Broad Run. The road will be closed just south of Linton Hall Road/Route 619 near Webb Drive.

Drivers will be detoured along Route 15, Heathcote Boulevard and Route 55. The road will close beginning at 10 p.m. Friday and remain closed through 5 a.m. Monday as the existing bridge is removed and a new one installed.

Loudoun County events

Several events in Loudoun County will close roads or reduce travel lanes. Drivers are asked to be patient and to follow the direction of law enforcement at these activities:

  • 5K road race at Broad Run High School from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The race will travel along Ashburn Road, Farmwell Road and Hemingway Drive.
  • 5K road race from 8 to 11 a.m. Sunday along Broadlands Boulevard, Claiborne Parkway, Waxpool Road, Chickacoan Trail Drive, Vestals Gap Drive and Glebe View Drive. One lane will be closed on each road during the race.
  • Expect delays along U.S. Route 15 near Oatlands Plantation from 6:30 to 10 a.m. and 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.
  • Expect delays due to the Homecoming Parade at Briar Woods High School beginning about 5 p.m. Friday.

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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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