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County Officials Hope For Dedicated Pedestrian Safety Funding

By WTOP Staff

Police and county officials doing a crosswalk sting operation, via Montgomery County PoliceDespite more than $8 million in speed camera revenue, Montgomery County Police are working overtime to do many of the pedestrian crosswalk stings that have popped up over the last two years.

Some on the County Council want to once again make the speed camera fund a dedicated funding source so police can implement crosswalk stings and other education programs more consistently.

During a hearing on Monday with the Council’s Transportation Committee, Montgomery County Police Capt. Thomas Didone said the department’s Traffic Division doesn’t have earmarked money or specific officers assigned to the pedestrian crosswalk stings.

“We need some bodies that are dedicated to be a champion for the cause,” Didone said. “We look at some of the stings and we see immediately successful results, but we’re only doing them once or twice a month. If we went there twice a week, you would see the change in behavior.”

Didone said that the department began with $250,000 dedicated to traffic safety and enforcement when the county first set up its speed camera program in 2007. Through tough budget years and because of a change in the way the state speed camera law was worded, that money eventually dwindled down to nothing.

Now, Didone must rely on officers working on overtime to conduct activities such as the crosswalk stings, in which an officer in a bright yellow shirt will walk through a crosswalk. Those motorists who don’t stop for the crosswalk, as required by law, are pulled over and given a citation.

A sting operation in April at the notorious crosswalk of Wisconsin Avenue at Stanford Street led to 24 citations in two hours. In June 2013, police nabbed 22 drivers for failing to stop with a pedestrian in the crosswalk. In April 2013, as police began an aggressive pedestrian safety initiative after a sting of pedestrian collisions, a motorist mowed down one of the pedestrian signs at the crosswalk.

Councilmember Roger Berliner agreed with Didone that the county should again set aside dedicated funding for police and Department of Transportation pedestrian safety enforcement and education. Didone said another missing element is education in the school system. Didone said police have done pedestrian safety education in just two county high schools.

Berliner asked DOT officials at the hearing to encourage some money from speed camera revenue is dedicated to the programs.

“I think we can do this,” Berliner said. “I think we should do this. We’d appreciate hearing from the county executive with respect to this issue.”

In 2009, as the rest of the state was beginning speed camera programs, the law was changed to allow speed camera revenue to be used by all public safety agencies, which Didone said meant a more diverse set of programs competing for the funds.

The $8 million the county made in speed camera revenues last fiscal year is an increase from the year before, Didone said.

Berliner, Nancy Floreen and Hans Riemer discussed a wide range of pedestrian and bicyclist issues at the hearing with Darrel Drobnich, the new chair of the county’s Pedestrian, Bicycle & Traffic Safety Advisory Committee. The Committee recommended the county update its 2005 bicycle facility master plan, create a first ever pedestrian master plan, create a countywide bicycle education program to let all types of road and sidewalk users know the rules and dedicate funding to police enforcement efforts.

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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