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Weekend Wakeup: Significant delays on Red and Orange lines, plus road closures

By WTOP Staff

Tim Bracken, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – This weekend brings significant delays on Metro’s Red and Orange lines, with six station closures. Overnight closures continue on the Beltway between I-66 and Georgetown Pike and the Outer Loop is likely to see delays near the Telegraph Road interchange.

Interstate 95 HOV lanes will see an overnight closure in Virginia, and a portion of New York Avenue will be closed in the District.

Washington Nationals games are scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The usual gameday delays should be expected near Nationals Park on South Capitol Street, the Douglass Bridge, and I-295/DC-295 near the 11th Street Bridge and Howard Road.

Read on for the details, and have a great weekend!

Metro construction

The Red and Orange lines are the only routes affected by track work this weekend. Trains on the Blue, Yellow and Green lines will operate on a regular weekend schedule.

Here’s the summary from Metro.

Red Line

  • Buses will replace trains between Fort Totten and Union Station.
  • Red Line trains will operate in two segments throughout the weekend. Between Glenmont and Fort Totten and between Union Station and Shady Grove, trains will run every ten minutes during daytime hours and at regular weekend intervals at other times.
  • Three stations — Brookland, Rhode Island Ave, and NoMa-Gallaudet U — will be closed.
  • Customers traveling between Fort Totten and downtown D.C. may wish to consider using Green Line service as an alternate route.
  • Express buses will operate between Fort Totten and Union Station only. Customers using express buses should add 20 minutes to their travel time.
  • Local buses will operate between Fort Totten and Union Station, making intermediate stops at Brookland, Rhode Island Ave and NoMa-Gallaudet U stations.
  • Anyone using local buses should add 30 minutes to their travel time.

Orange Line

  • Buses will replace trains between Vienna and East Falls Church.
  • Orange Line trains will operate between East Falls Church and New Carrollton at regular weekend intervals.
  • Three stations will be closed — Vienna, Dunn Loring and West Falls Church.
  • Express shuttle buses will operate between Vienna and East Falls Church only. Customers using express buses should add 15 minutes to their travel time.
  • Local shuttle buses will operate between Vienna and East Falls Church, with intermediate stops at Dunn Loring and West Falls Church stations. Customers using local buses should add 40 minutes to their travel time.

Beltway construction update

Overnight paving continues on both loops of the Beltway between I-66 and Georgetown Pike. Expect a minimum of two lanes getting by between 9:30 p.m. and 9 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. After midnight, temporary total closures are possible for up to 30 minutes at a time.

Also scheduled for Friday and Saturday between 9:30 p.m. and 9 a.m., westbound I-66 will have two lanes blocked for ongoing bridge demolition. Temporary total closures for up to 30 minutes are possible after midnight.

Telegraph Road interchange construction

Telegraph Road won’t be closed this weekend, but there could be some delays on the Beltway near the Telegraph Road exit due to construction.

Starting at 9 p.m. Friday through 11 a.m. Saturday, the Outer Loop of I-495 will have two left lanes closed between Van Dorn Street and Telegraph Road. The same lane closures are scheduled for Saturday night starting at 9 p.m. through Sunday at 11 a.m.

Starting at 9 p.m. Friday and continuing through Sunday at 5 p.m., the ramp from the Outer Loop to Telegraph Road will be closed.

The ramps from Telegraph Road to the Outer Loop will be closed starting at 9 p.m. Friday through noon Saturday.

I-95 HOV lanes closure

Starting at 9 p.m. Friday and continuing through 9 a.m. Saturday, I-95 HOV lanes will be closed between Dumfries Road and Franconia Road while crews put new traffic shifts into place. At 9 a.m. Saturday, HOV lanes will reopen in the northbound direction.

Closures in the District

Expect delays on New York Avenue through Northeast D.C. this Saturday. Between 1 a.m. and 5 p.m., New York Avenue will be closed between Florida Avenue and 4th Street NE while crews work on the New York Avenue Bridge Rehabilitation Project. Detour signs will be in place.

Scheduled for Friday and Saturday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., bridge inspections will close a single right lane on the westbound side of the Southeast Freeway over New Jersey Avenue and Virginia Avenue. On Saturday, crews should be working on the eastbound side later in the day, also in the right lane. Delays should be minimal.

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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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