Virginia Department of Transportation

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is the agency of the state government responsible for transportation in the state of Virginia in the United States. It works to build, maintain, and operate the roads, bridges, and tunnels across Virginia. VDOT is based in the Virginia Department of Highways Building in Downtown Richmond.

VDOT is guided by the Commonwealth Transportation Board, which can also support airports, seaports, rail, and public transportation with funding. In the fiscal year 2019, VDOT had a budget of $5.4 billion to help keep Virginia moving.

With about 7,500 full-time employees, VDOT plays a big role in making sure Virginia’s transportation systems are safe and work well for everyone.

Responsibilities

Virginia has a very large network of roads, with about 58,000 miles in total. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) takes care of many parts of this system. Their main job is to keep the roads in good shape. This includes fixing potholes, cleaning storm drains, maintaining signs and traffic lights, and even removing snow from major roads.

VDOT also looks after more than 21,000 bridges and structures, has safety rest areas and welcome centers along highways, and provides parking for commuters. They manage important crossings such as tunnels and bridges, mountain tunnels, toll roads, and ferry services to help people travel safely across the state.

Budget

The Virginia Department of Transportation spends most of its money on keeping roads in good shape and making new ones. About 41% of the budget goes to highway maintenance and operations, and 32% is used for building new highway systems. The rest of the money helps with paying debts, supporting other agencies, administration, and special projects.