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Montgomery Co. commuters get a smoother ride to work

By WTOP Staff

Adam Tuss, wtop.com

ROCKVILLE, Md. – Does the ride to work feel smoother? For a lot of drivers in Montgomery County, the bumps literally came out of the road.

The county just wrapped up an extensive series of repaving projects, covering 43 miles. Stimulus funds — nearly $7 million — paid for all of it.

Randolph Road, Forest Glen Road, Shady Grove Road and Old Columbia Pike received major makeovers.

“These roadways were assessed by the Department of Transportation as being the most deteriorated,” said County Executive Isiah “Ike” Leggett at a news conference Monday.

He also talked about the importance of the county having a balanced approach to transportation.

“As we continue our efforts to extend transit, we must also make investments in roads. It is much needed in Montgomery County,” said Leggett.

Here is a complete list of the completed repaving projects:

  • More than 10 lane miles of Shady Grove Road from Interstate 270 to Darnestown Road. This project added bike lanes and acceleration lanes and replaced non- standard traffic barriers. The work added ramps that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act to sidewalks.
  • Nearly 10 lane miles of Barnesville Road from Mt. Ephraim Road to Maryland Route 117. This project improved safety with new traffic barriers and thermoplastic pavement markings.
  • About 4.5 miles of Randolph Road from east of Nebel Street to Rock Creek Bridge. The project replaced existing sidewalk and ramps with standard sidewalks and ADA ramps. Workers installed new thermoplastic pavement markings with track symbols near the railroad tracks.
  • About 3.6 lane miles of Forest Glen Road from Maryland Route 97 to Brunett Avenue. The road work improved pavement striping by adding bike lanes and a pedestrian crossing at the Sligo Creek intersection. It also removed ditch along edge of roadway improving access and eliminated an unsafe drop off. The work involved installing standard concrete curb and gutters and replacing existing sidewalk and ramps with standard sidewalks and ADA ramps.
  • More than 10 lane miles of Old Columbia Pike from Maryland Route 198 to U.S. Route 29, Columbia Pike on-ramp. This project replaced existing sidewalk and ramps with standard sidewalks and ADA ramps and improved storm water drainage at various locations. Working with Paint Branch High School, the project improved access to entrances and exits. Work included the installation of roadside traffic barriers protecting hazardous embankments.
  • Nearly 5 lane miles of Travilah Road from Dufief Road to River Road. In this stretch, new traffic barriers and thermoplastic pavement markings increased roadside safety and improved operating conditions.
  • About 3.7 lane miles of Wightman Road from Brink Road to Goshen Road. This project realigned the concrete median at the intersection of Montgomery Village Avenue, improving traffic flow. It also repaired the shoulder area at Great Seneca Park entrance across from Brink Road. Workers installed hot mix asphalt base to restore the roadway’s integrity and replaced roadside non-standard traffic barriers.

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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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