VDOT to Lay Off Hundreds of Workers

In case you hadn't heard, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) announced this week that the agency will lay off 450 hourly employees across the commonwealth next month as a first step in reducing staffing costs.

The cuts are one element of a comprehensive plan – called the “Blueprint for the Future” – presented at the Commonwealth Transportation Board meeting and designed to address the projected $2.6 billion shortfall in transportation revenues during the next six years.

VDOT proposed several phases of reductions to include:

• Reducing rest areas and welcome centers
• Reducing ferry services
• Reducing Safety Service Patrols
• Reducing interstate maintenance services
• Reducing vegetation management

VDOT is seeking to reduce its overall staffing levels by 1,000 full-time employees and 450 wage, temporary and hourly staff over the next 18 months. Currently, the agency has 605 hourly employees and approximately 8,400 full-time, salaried employees. VDOT estimates it will have 7,500 employees total by July 1, 2010.

VDOT plans to meet with community leaders and citizens to discuss potential service and organizational impacts during a series of public meetings to be held across the commonwealth this spring. The dates and locations of those meetings will be finalized in the next weeks and Loudoun County Traffic will provide details as they become available.

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