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How VDOT’s latest mega project, I-395 at Seminary Road, will affect your commute

By WTOP Staff

The mega road projects consuming Interstates 95 and 395 do not end at Edsall Road.

A second project now underway, immediately north of where the I-95 Express Lanes end, will bring additional congestion relief to the Washington area’s busiest stretch of highway, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. Interstate 395 at Seminary carries roughly 200,000 vehicles per day.

For regular commuters, the ongoing work is hard to miss.

Beginning at the Duke Street on ramp to northbound I-395, VDOT, with contractor Archer Western Construction LLC, is extending the auxiliary lane to the Seminary Road exit .8 miles to the north, eliminating the often-ugly downhill merge from Duke Street onto the highway. Clearing operations are nearly complete. The new lane is expected to open in December, at roughly the same time the Express Lanes open to the south.

In the HOV lanes, meanwhile, VDOT will construct a reversible ramp onto Seminary Road, mainly to serve the 6,400-employee Mark Center, home to the Washington Headquarters Service. Per VDOT, the new lane and ramp will ”provide easier access to the Department of Defense’s Mark Center and will help improve traffic flow along I-395 North.”

The 1.75 million-square-foot, 17-story Mark Center opened in 2011 as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure process. Virginia originally sought to extend the I-95 Express Lanes to the Pentagon to serve the building, as the Mark Center is not Metrorail accessible, but Arlington County sued and the plan was nixed. The ramp was the next best option. It cleared a key environmental hurdle in 2012, and the Archer contract was awarded in April 2013.

The $80 million project — $60 million for the ramp, $20 million for the auxiliary lane — will also include a new pedestrian bridge over I-395 at Seminary Road, a rehabilitated Seminary Bridge, a widened Sanger Bridge, new concrete sound walls, new storm drainage systems and additional lighting. Lanes on 395 will occasionally close for construction, overnight and between rush hours, and the Seminary Bridge will be reduced to one lane in each direction beginning next month.

Prepare accordingly.

VDOT, which hosted a community meeting on the project Monday, is eying a September 2015 opening for the HOV ramp.

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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