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Town Of Chevy Chase Says Purple Line Ridership Analysis Should Be Public

By WTOP Staff

Purple Line rendering via MTAThe Town of Chevy Chase says purchasing a software license to evaluate the state’s Purple Line ridership data would be too costly and time consuming and the information should be publicly available.

The Town on Friday issued a report it had done by New Y0rk-based Sam Schwartz Engineering. According to the report, much of the data provided on disks by the Maryland Transit Administration in July was unreadable without proprietary software.

Upon providing the disks to the Town, the MTA provided information as to how to purchase the license, but said it couldn’t provide the software used by its own engineering consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff.

The ridership estimate — now at 74,000 riders a day by 2040 — is one of many aspects of the planned light rail Town of Chevy Chase officials have doubts about. The Town, which has homes that back up to the planned route, is officially opposed to the $2.43 billion project and has employed federal and state lobbyists against it.

In July, the Town officially challenged the MTA’s ridership estimates for the Purple Line and submitted a Maryland Public Information Act request asking for “the methodology and models” used to come up with the numbers.

Town Manger Todd Hoffman said on Friday that purchasing the software necessary to view the data would be too expensive and take too long. The MTA hopes to select a private concessionaire early next year to help design, build and operate the Purple Line, with construction slated to start late next year.

“We feel the data should be readily available and useable by anyone,” Hoffman said.

The MTA also provided the Town with technical data and methodology reports that have been available on the project website since last year. But the Town’s engineer concluded some of the information wasn’t specific or current enough to provide for an accurate ridership estimate.

“As a case in point, while Purple Line operating speeds have slowed significantly since the start of the study, ridership projections have increased — a counterintuitive result that is not explained by the MTA,” read a Town of Chevy Chase press release.

Mayor Kathy Strom said the data provided by the MTA was “useless” and the Town will submit more questions and requests to determine whether the methodology for the estimates changed during the process.

The Town was apparently buoyed by an anti-Purple Line column from a Wall Street Journal columnist, who questioned if the numbers in the MTA’s final environmental impact statement “were revised from previous estimates in response to concerns expressed by state officials about underestimations.”

“In developing the Purple Line the MTA has used nationally accepted practices for travel forecasting and we stand behind them,” read a statement from the MTA in July. “Hopefully this will demonstrate the transparency with which the MTA has operated throughout the Purple Line ridership projection process.”

PDF: SSE Report

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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