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Council Staff: Ditch BRT South Of Bradley, Cedar Lane Station

By WTOP Staff

Photo of a median BRT station in Bogota, Colombia by Juanman 3 via WikipediaNext up in the County Council’s discussion of Bus Rapid Transit is the plan for Rockville Pike/Wisconsin Avenue, which for months has caused controversy about potential road treatments and right of way issues with adjacent neighborhoods.

In his recommendations, released today, Council transportation analyst Glenn Orlin says the Council should ditch plans to extend a Wisconsin Avenue BRT route south of Bradley Lane to Friendship Heights.

Orlin also recommended changes to a number of other aspects of the Planning Board-approved master plan, including getting rid of a station at Cedar Lane.

The Transportation Committee will take up the issues at 9:30 a.m. on Friday.

Orlin says “there is no purpose” in extending BRT south of Bradley Lane, where the Red Line already runs:

The reason is that there is no purpose in duplicating the service already provided by the Red Line. The only proposed station between Bethesda Metro and Friendship Heights Metro would be Bradley Boulevard, and any homes or businesses near it will be within an easy walk of the programmed south entrance of the Bethesda Metro. However, in the future, should the District of Columbia consider establishing a true BRT service on Wisconsin Avenue to, say, the Cathedral area and Georgetown — where Metrorail does not now go — then the Council should reconsider BR T service in this segment.

Chevy Chase West, the Town of Somerset and others in the neighborhoods along that stretch of Wisconsin Avenue came out vehemently against BRT for fears that it would pose safety or traffic risks.

In its worksession on Tuesday, the Committee discussed a similar issue in Silver Spring, where the Planning Department plan calls for a BRT route to extend past the Silver Spring Transit Center to 16th Street and the D.C. line.

Despite Orlin’s recommendation to stop the route at the Transit Center, Councilmembers Roger Berliner and Hans Riemer voted to keep it in the master plan. Councilmember Nancy Floreen, who has questioned many aspects of the BRT plan, voted to ditch it.

Orlin recommended the Committee stick with the Planning Department’s plan for BRT on Rockville Pike in North Bethesda and White Flint, writing that the system would not duplicate the Metro Red Line because “the Metro stations are more than a mile apart in this section, while the Rockville Pike corridor has consistently significant density of employment and housing along most of its length between Grosvenor and Shady Grove that is not within walking distance of a Metro station.”

But Orlin wrote the stretch south of the Grosvenor Metro Station presents a different situation. Orlin said there is only one “high-density location” not within walking distance of a Metro station: Pooks Hill.

To improve travel times for BRT, Orlin recommended taking a station at Cedar Lane and Rockville Pike out of the plan.

He also recommended that the county should do a more detailed study on treatments. The plan calls for two median lanes. Orlin said the county, during project planning, should seriously look at one single lane that would reverse direction based on rush hours and taking curb lanes for reserved bus use.

As far as the North Bethesda Transitway, which would run 2.7 miles from the White Flint Metro station along Old Georgetown Road to Westfield Montgomery Mall, Orlin agreed with much of the Planning Department master plan.

Based on public hearing testimony, Orlin said a station planned for Edson Drive and Poindexter Lane should be moved to Nicholson Lane or Executive Boulevard.

Photo by Juanman 3 via Wikipedia

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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