Skip to main content

New bus service to connect Silver Line with museum annex, Dulles

By Max Smith

WASHINGTON – It’s about to get easier for visitors, tourists and local residents to see the Space Shuttle Discovery, the Concorde and other large exhibits at the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly without worrying about tolls, parking or traffic.

A new bus service will connect the end of the Silver Line to the Udvar-Hazy Center along with the Reston Town Center, Herndon-Monroe Park & Ride and Dulles International Airport beginning on the first day the Silver Line opens this summer, Fairfax County officials announced Tuesday.

“It’s the answer to our wishes,” says Claire Brown, spokeswoman for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

“We consider ourselves one museum with two locations. To have the entire experience of the museum, you should really see both. So for the first time, this will be possible, to go from the two locations,” Brown says.

Fairfax Connector Route 983 will run every 20 minutes, seven days a week. The first trip to the museum will leave Wiehle-Reston East at 8:43 a.m. and the final trip will leave the Udvar-Hazy Center at 7:10 p.m. Route 981 buses from Wiehle-Reston East will end at Dulles Airport as run as early as 5:53 a.m. and as late as 11:53 p.m.

A full trip from the National Mall to the entrance to the Udvar-Hazy Center would take about 1.5 hours, and would cost $7 per person with a SmarTrip during rush hour, but just $4.70 at other times.

Riders who take the bus without riding the Silver Line will pay the standard bus fare of $1.60 with a SmarTrip, or $1.80 with cash.

“Ever since we opened the Udvar-Hazy Center, which was 10 years ago, 2003, we have needed to find an economical, quick way for people to get from the building in D.C. to the Udvar-Hazy Center,” Brown says.

The Smithsonian has been collaborating with Loudoun and Fairfax counties and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to figure out how to connect the two sites.

“We have found some ways for people to get around (in the past). But nothing that is as comprehensive and as quick and as often and as economical as being able to take the Silver Line and then the Connector,” Brown says.

Virginia Regional Transit has run a bus, Route 83, from Dulles to Udvar-Hazy, but that route is expected to stop running this fall due to funding concerns.

Thousands of people took advantage of the bus connection from Dulles Airport. But most of those visitors were air travelers with long layovers. And Brown says she expects many more visits to the expansive hangar.

“Route 983 not only benefits Fairfax County residents who want a transit connection to the Udvar-Hazy Center, but also visitors to D.C., passengers with longer layovers at Dulles Airport, and anyone with access to the Silver Line,” says Ellen Kamilakis, with the Fairfax County Department of Transportation.

“Route 983 is actually saving Fairfax County money. We had been providing funding to

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote