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New bus routes to carry passengers to Silver Line stations

By Max Smith

WASHINGTON – Trains aren’t the only new thing coming when the Silver Line opens. There will be plenty of new bus routes too.

Many Fairfax Connector routes that currently go to West Falls Church will instead go to the new Wiehle-Reston East Station.

More than 100 buses will come and go from the station’s new bus vault each hour. Passengers will wait on a central island one level below the foot bridge over the Dulles Toll Road, which provides access to and from the Metro station.

The bus changes also include new stops and increased service designed to get more people using public transportation to reach the Metro, rather than driving a relatively short distance.

“We talked to passengers and realized that what they need is more frequent service,” says Ellen Kamilakis, with the Fairfax County Department of Transportation.

“Instead of having one bus and a driver take X amount of time to take 40 passengers all the way down to West Falls Church and back, if we rerouted all of the buses into Wiehle, the main destination for these buses when they go to West Falls Church is a Metro line,” she says. “If we take them to the closest Metro station, they can go back in service and start another route again,” she adds.

Some routes that currently run every 30 minutes will run more than twice as often. Fairfax Connector is also adding additional service at night and on weekends, especially in the Reston area.

Three new circulator routes in Tysons will have a special fare of just 50 cents. Because of the transfer discount, those buses will be free for anyone who takes the bus to or from the Metro and pays with a SmarTrip card.

Kamilakis says all of the new bus changes will begin on the same day that the Silver Line opens to the public, which is still undetermined.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is building the line and hopes to turn it over to Metro by the end of the month. Metro has said the Silver Line will open to the public within 90 days after that handover.

Wiehle-Reston East is the end of the line for the first phase of the Silver Line, and it’s the only one of the five new stations with a parking garage. Trains will run between that station and Largo Town Center via Tysons, East Falls Church and downtown D.C.

Preliminary work is already underway on the second phase of the Silver Line, which will carry passengers to Dulles Airport and into Loudoun County. That second phase is scheduled to open in 2018.

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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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