Culpeper District Pipeline - October-December 2023

VOLUME 30 | ISSUE 6 

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2023 

Members of the Palmyra AHQ discussing their hitch-mounted location marking system with the 

Research Council’s Director of Strategic Innovation, Hari Sripathi. Read more about the district's 

Shark Tank-style innovation lab competition on page 4. 

PUBLISHED FOR AND ABOUT VDOT’S CULPEPER DISTRICT TEAM 

Albemarle Culpeper Fauquier Fluvanna Greene Louisa Madison Orange Rappahannock 

2023: A Milestone Year With More to Come 

As we look back on 2023 we 

can celebrate another successful 

year for the Culpeper District. 

We reached several significant 

milestones as we continue to 

execute our program. 

The “bundle” of design-build 

projects in Albemarle County, 

which includes the diverging 

diamond interchange at Interstate 

64 and U.S. 250 at Pantops, 

roundabouts at U.S. 250 and 

Route 151 at Afton and Route 20 

and Proffit Road, improvements 

to the I-64/U.S. 29 exit 118 interchange, and the 

Rio Mills Road connector, were completed. A 

truck arrestor ramp on U.S. 250 descending Afton 

Mountain was added to that 

package of projects to improve 

safety for commercial vehicles 

descending the mountain. 

In the coming year, a 

second design-build bundle of 

intersection improvements will 

begin construction in Albemarle 

County. The five intersections, 

including U.S. 250 and Route 240 

east of Crozet, and Route 20 and 

Route 53 south of Charlottesville, 

will be rebuilt to improve safety 

and more efficient movement of 

vehicles through the intersections. 

Another similar bundle of projects will make 

improvements to the U.S. 29 corridor on the 

Continues on page 2

PAGE 2 OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2023 

Work (continued) 

north end of Charlottesville. These projects 

include the intersection of U.S. 29 and Hydraulic 

Road, a pedestrian bridge across 29 north of that 

intersection, a roundabout at Hydraulic Road and 

Hillsdale Drive and operational improvements at 

Hydraulic Road and the U.S. 250 Bypass as well as 

at Brandywine Drive. 

During the past year the district’s leadership 

has worked closely with the City of Charlottesville 

to review and revise the city’s transportation 

initiatives. In that role VDOT and Charlottesville 

staff worked together to adjust the city’s 

transportation program to improve delivery of its 

selected projects. 

The district’s planning staff has strengthened 

its project selection process and is working 

year-round with localities to identify potential 

transportation improvements. Whether 

the project is suitable for Revenue Sharing, 

Transportation Alternatives, or SMART SCALE, the 

goal is to provide suitably scoped, well-justified 

project applications for each funding cycle. 

During the last year we have enhanced the 

operations aspect of VDOT’s program with a 

district-based Traffic Operations section. This 

group includes the Traffic Engineering section, 

signals technicians, pavement marking and sign 

crews as well as the incident management staff 

and has focused on safe and efficient operations 

on the district’s more than 10,000 lane-miles of 

roadway. 

Every day, our maintenance crews work across 

the district to keep our road users safe. Whether 

the call is for a crash, a fallen tree blocking a 

road, or a snowstorm, our area headquarters 

staff will respond around the clock to address the 

hazard and restore safe travel. 

One priority that has not changed is the 

district’s commitment to safety. Last year we 

refocused the district’s safety program with an 

emphasis on every employee, not matter where 

they work, taking responsibility to ensure their 

An aerial view of the recently completed roundabout at U.S. 250 and 

Route 151 in Afton. This roundabout is part of the first design-build 

project bundle in Albemarle County. 

own safety as well as that of their coworkers. In 

the past year the district has seen a significant 

decrease in incidents and injuries. “Safety Takes 

No Days Off” is the message that every district 

employee lives every day as we continue to Keep 

Virginia, and Culpeper District, Moving. 

As we approach the end of another busy year, I 

ask that each of you take some time to reflect on 

our accomplishments and what we have all done 

together to improve the safety and quality of life 

for those who use our highways. 

Above all, I hope that you will have the 

opportunity to celebrate the season in whatever 

way is meaningful to you. And I wish each of you, 

your families and loved ones a happy and healthy 

New Year. 

Sean Nelson, P.E. 

Culpeper District Engineer

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2023 PAGE 3 

District Holds Annual 

Snow Conference 

Culpeper District gathered in October to assess 

the upcoming winter season. Mobilization is key 

when a winter storm is forecast, and this meeting 

allows the district to talk about protocols and 

challenges crews could face, as well as reviewing 

"tried and true" procedures and what may be on 

the horizon. 

Staunton District Maintenance Engineer Joel 

Denunzio joined the group to discuss the 

portable RWIS (Road Weather Information 

System). 

Culpeper has a dozen permanent 

RWIS sites that record air temperature, road 

temperature and humidity. Culpeper District 

Maintenance Engineer David Pearce uses the data 

from those sites, with other forecasts and data 

points, to guide mobilization decisions. 

Culpeper is currently experimenting with one 

portable RWIS device. So far, Culpeper District has 

mobilized twice this year, on Dec. 6 and 10. 

 

Ceremony Honors Culpeper District Veterans 

This year, Central Office staff coordinated with all districts to host a virtual statewide 

gathering. Veterans of Culpeper District who attended represent all branches of the military 

and gave the rest of us an opportunity to honor and thank them. IT Manager Corey Clinton 

shared a “throwback” photo from his time in the U.S. Coast Guard, and a few memories. We 

thank all district veterans for 

their service! 

FRONT ROW: Mike Sprouse, 

Charlottesville Residency, Army; Brad 

Deane, Stanardsville AHQ, Marine; 

Richards Jones, Warrenton Shop, Airforce; 

Brandon Griffin, Culpeper District, 

Marine. 

BACK ROW: Erin Richards, Charlottesville 

Residency, Army; John Mayhew, Palmyra 

AHQ, Marine; Justin Maciejewski, Boyd 

Tavern, Marine; Corey Clinton, Coast 

Guard, Culpeper IT; Joe White, Army, 

Warrenton AHQ.


Culpeper District Has Ideas! 

Employees share innovations at "Shark Tank" style competiton 

Earlier this year, the Culpeper Innovation Lab invited employees district-wide to send in ideas to solve 

problems focusing on business efficiency, maintenance and safety. 

Then, the district fashioned a competition based on the format of the popular television show, 

Shark Tank. Employees from all sectors stepped up to the challenge and presented not only ideas, but 

workable solutions the 'sharks' could get behind. The following are the winning entries that have the 

backing of their own 'shark.' 

Paint Truck Safety 

This group identified a problem that is 

both dangerous and costly. When crews are 

painting roadway lines, some drivers are 

agitated by the slow-moving vehicle. They 

choose to ignore work zone signage and 

pass the paint truck. They will drive across 

wet paint lines to pass, crossing yellow 

centerlines, sometimes heading into the 

lane of oncoming traffic. This impatience 

puts themselves, oncoming drivers and 

work zone personnel at risk. 

This action tracks paint across the 

roadway, damages the pavement marking line, and 

removes the reflective beads from the line rendering it non-reflective at night. Crews are left 

with a mess and the paint is transferred to the driver’s car. Drivers often request hundreds, if not 

thousands of dollars to repair their vehicles and claim VDOT did not display proper signage. 

One solution to show proof that VDOT crews appropriately signed the work zone would be 

video recording. The group investigated attaching front and rear cameras to paint trucks that 

would record any incident. This would improve work zone safety compliance, better defend 

claims, and provide a solution to a statewide problem. Sean Nelson, Culpeper District Engineer, 

is the shark who stepped up to help tackle this issue as the group investigates which make and 

model of camera would work best. 

From left, “Shark” Sean Nelson, Culpeper District Engineer; Todd Freeman, Signs and Pavement Marking; 

Scott Shupe, Signs and Pavement Marking; Shawn Beavon, Maintenance. Not pictured: Larry Butler, Signs and Pavement Marking. 

Continues on page 5


Shark Tank (continued) 

Prescription Safety Glasses 

Liam Phillips, Tony Moore, and Phillip Burke 

identified an issue a lot of crew members who 

wear prescription glasses face. Currently, the VDOT 

mandated safety glasses from MANCON do not 

come with specific prescriptions. The vendor only 

offers a bifocal option which is not a suitable 

alternative. MANCON offers safety glasses an 

employee can wear over their prescription glasses, 

but that presents several problems. Crew members 

complain they provide limited visibility with poor peripheral vision. They also distort vision and 

allow dust build up between layers. The current offering can also cause condensation to form, 

again, limiting visibility. This group suggests VDOT allow workers to invest in their own safety 

glasses and reimburse crew members up to $100 annually to offset the cost. Marchel Johnson 

who is the Assistant Director of Safety & Security with VDOT will champion their cause and work 

to find ways employees with prescription glasses have more options. 

From left, “Shark” Marchel Johnson, Safety, Security and Emergency Management; Anthony Moore, Cuckoo AHQ; Liam Phillips, 

Business; Phillip Burke, Louisa Residency Structure and Bridge. 

Hitch-mounted Location Marking System 

A group from the Palmyra Area Headquarters 

tackled what can be a dangerous job of marking 

the road with paint line for spot milling and 

patching. Right now, crews must leave the vehicle 

to mark the line with traffic moving around 

them. They’re also capturing GPS locations and 

measuring distance and width. These timeconsuming 

tasks leave crews vulnerable to near 

misses, or worse situations. Their innovation is a 

hitch mounted attachment that secures to a truck 

and marks the road without the user exiting the 

vehicle. It uses an app this group built to collect the location and enter data required for logging, 

spot milling and patch work. Hari Sripathi is the Director of Strategic Innovation at the Research 

Council and championed this group. He will collaborate with them to move their idea forward. 

From left, Anna Caddell, Palmyra AHQ Superintendent; Matt Johnson, Palmyra AHQ; “Shark” Hari Sripathi, Director of Strategic 

Innovation, Research Council; John Mayhew, Palmyra AHQ Supervisor; and Joey Parrott, Palmyra AHQ. 

Continues on page 6


Shark Tank (continued) 

Roadway Communications 

This team of six brainstormed ways to make 

the two-way radio communication now used 

within a confined work area safer and more 

effective for crews. The members examined the 

possibility of moving to a more refines system 

for crew members to talk to each other on 

the job. The two-way radio presents several 

problems. Some issues are poor sound quality, 

a short battery life, and distance limitations. 

Their idea is to move to some type of handsfree 

communication device like and in-ear 

device or an over the ear device that attaches to a KASK helmet. 

The group broke down costs of benefits of key market offers and presented it to the sharks. 

Kevin Wright, Senior Program Analyst with the Research Council championed their efforts and 

will aid the group in moving forward with a viable solution. 

From left, “Shark” Kevin Wright, Senior Program Analyst, Research Council; Steve Jones, Keene AHQ; Johnathan Jenkins, 

Rappahannock AHQ; Walter Burke, Warrenton Residency Administration. Not pictured: Travis Snow, Stanardsville AHQ; Christina 

Dennis, Human Resources; and Chris Gibson, Stanardsville AHQ. 

Still Time to Donate to Help Those Less Fortunate 

Payroll, one-time contributions help CVC’s annual charity campaign 

The 2023 Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign 

is moving toward the end of this year’s effort. 

This charity, which provides an organized way 

for employees of the Commonwealth of Virginia 

to donate to charities that provide support to 

our local communities, the Commonwealth and 

beyond. 

This is the 26th year that CVC has provided this 

benefit for state employees. During that time the 

CVC has provided millions of dollars to thousands 

of charitable organizations. Most recently, last 

year the CVC raised more than $2 million, with 

Continues on page 7


Time (continued) 

four percent of state employees participating. In 

2023, CVC has set a statewide goal to raise $2.5 

million and increase employee participation to six 

percent. 

Culpeper District Engineer Sean Nelson said 

that the holiday season is an appropriate time 

for the CVC campaign. “At this time of the year 

we all reflect on the blessings we have received. 

And it is also a time when we can think about 

those less fortunate, our neighbors in need, and 

how we can support the service organizations 

that provide assistance for them. I hope that your 

generosity will help those charities continue their 

good works.” 

One-time and payroll deductions can be 

made by individual employees using an 

“ePledge” process for donating online through 

EmployeeDirect. These donations can be made by 

either payroll deduction or a one-time credit card 

donation for the 2023 campaign. 

If you elect a payroll deduction, you pledge 

to give a yearly amount that will be divided 

and deducted over 24 paychecks starting in 

January. Selecting payroll deduction will require 

you to login to Employee Direct, verify your 

employment, and designate which charity and 

amount you would like to give to. 

For example, if you elect to give $240 to the 

Virginia State Employee Assistance Fund, you 

select the charity through the online portal, 

designate $240, and you will see the amount 

that will be deducted from each paycheck, which 

in this case would be $10 per paycheck. The last 

day to give by payroll deduction is December 19, 

2023. 

The statewide CVC campaign has extended the 

deadline for credit card donations for another 

month, until January 31, 2024. To make credit 

card donations, employees will supply their credit 

card information through a third-party vendor, 

securely. Credit card information is not stored on 

any government devices or databases and no fees 

will be charged for credit card donations. 

This year there are more than 750 charitable 

organizations registered with the CVC. Each 

must go through a vetting process to ensure they 

meet the CVC criteria for charities. A full list of 

the charities can be found, listed alphabetically: 

2023ApprovedCVCCharities(Alpha). 

The Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign 

promotes diversity and inclusion by ensuring 

that charitable organizations that participate 

represent a diversity of missions that support 

all citizens and communities across the 

state, including youth programs, faith-based 

organizations, LGBTQ+ groups, Veterans, Persons 

with disabilities, etc.). Additionally, CVC prides 

itself on its inclusive policy, ensuring that all 

charitable organizations regardless of size and 

operating budget are eligible to participate 

in the campaign and given equitable access to 

fundraising strategies, opportunities, activities, 

and/or events. 

Information about the CVC and a link to 

donate using ePledge is here: Commonwealth of 

Virginia Campaign-Donate 

If you would like more information about the 

Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign, or are 

interested in helping with the district’s efforts 

this year, please contact Lou Hatter, (540) 717- 

2890, email Lou.Hatter@VDOT.Virginia.gov, or the 

Culpeper District CVC Treasurer, Bobby Jenkins, 

(540) 829-7694, or email Bobby.JenkinsJr@VDOT. 

Virginia.gov.


Jamie Glass Takes a Bow 

Glass reflects on career while looking forward to retirement 

After 46 years on the job, Jamie Glass has a few 

stories to tell, and he’s not bashful. 

We recently sat down to talk about his time 

with VDOT. He started in 1977 right after his 19th 

birthday. 

“Back then, I just wanted benefits because I 

was married and had a couple of children. I didn’t 

realize I was going to stay this long.” He says with 

a laugh. 

Glass has a personable quality and an innate 

ability to draw you in with stories of life at VDOT. 

“I started as a maintenance helper. It was an 

hourly position and they kept you on for a month 

or two to see if you were going to work out. If 

you did, they moved you to monthly.” 

Glass transferred to the Cuckoo AHQ as what 

the department called an “A” operator, “When 

I was working at Cuckoo, we came in to get a 

load of stone for a pipe job. It was the foreman 

and me and another operator. The guy grabbed 

a truck and the foreman said, ‘lower the tail gate 

level with the body and back it into the rock pile. 

Kind of odd to us, but we did it. We backed into 

the rock pile, and he said, okay now, grab your 

shovel and load the truck. We said, ‘well there’s a 

loader right there; brand-new front-end loader, 

we could load this truck in a couple of minutes 

and be back on the job.’ He said, ‘well, if I got to 

use that, I don’t need you.’” Needless to say, we 

shoveled that stone and went back to the job.” 

Continues on page 9


Jamie (continued) 

Glass relishes the humor, but he can just as easily 

dive into a darker tale, “it was an ice storm, years 

ago, probably early 1980’s. We were on [U.S.] 

522 and it was about a dozen pine trees, about 

24 inches in diameter, falling across the road and 

we were out there at night and all the lights we 

had was the lights off the dump truck. It was still 

sleeting and icing we were trying to cut a path 

through these trees. We could hear trees breaking 

off and falling and we couldn’t see them. We 

stayed out there a couple of hours, and finally the 

foreman said, ‘enough of this’ so we packed it all 

up and left before somebody got killed. But you 

could literally hear the tees hitting the road just 

past the vision of the lights and it was scary that 

night, real scary.” 

When VDOT first debuted Roadeo, you can 

bet Glass jumped right in that saddle and earned 

bragging rights to boot, “The first Roadeo was 

in 1988 and I actually won the first year. Won the 

event, went to the district, won the district, went 

to the state, didn’t win the state. I was just a few 

points shy of winning that one. Back then, we 

only drove the trucks, but I think all in all, I won 

the residency three time, the district twice and 

never could win the state, never could get that one 

under my belt.” 

He says Roadeo had a different feel in those 

early years, “It was a family affair back then and 

it would be 200 to 300 people here. All the guys 

would bring their families, the whole residency 

would show up. The Roadeo money paid for the 

meats and everybody that came brought a covered 

dish, so there was tons of food, kids running 

around. We had a playground set up out here 

and horseshoe pits and a volleyball court. We had 

all kinds of activities while the operators ran the 

Roadeo.” 

Through the years, Glass moved from operator 

to foreman to superintendent. He also worked 

as operations manager, assistant resident 

administrator and residency administrator 

at the Louisa Residency. He worked out of 

the Charlottesville Residency as an assistant 

resident administrator. He became the business 

administrator for Culpeper District. 

His repertoire of experience is impressive, but 

“I’ve looked back over all the years. I look at the 

machinery and the equipment we have nowadays. 

I’ve told many guys out there, if I’d have had 

a motor grader or dump truck or a piece of 

machinery like we got now, I’d probably still be an 

operator. 

In the end, Glass went home to Louisa. “I think 

the thing I’ll miss most is the people. The folks I 

work with. We have a good crew here now and we 

had a lot of fun. We did our jobs, but we had fun 

in the meantime too.” 

For now, he’s enjoying retirement, but he’s not 

living a life of leisure, “I’m building a deck on my 

house. I tore the old one down, and I’m building a 

new one, that’s keeping me busy.” 

Perhaps the time off will mean an opportunity 

to visit family. He admits, like most families these 

days, they are a little scattered, “We have a pile of 

grandchildren floating out there. I think it was 13 

at last count, I think it was something like that. 13 

or 14, I can’t keep track, there’s so many of them”, 

he says with a grin. 

Finally, and not surprisingly, “Next spring, I’ll 

see what’s going on. If I need something to do, I’ll 

come back to VDOT.”


Say Hello to District's Newest Employees 

Over the last three months, Culpeper District has welcomed several new employees. Be sure to say 

hello when you cross paths! 

From left, Deryk Morgan, West Culpeper AHQ and Elvis Shifflett, 

Interstate Monitor. 

From left, James Feaganes, West Culpeper AHQ, Nicholas Cardiff, 

Materials, Kevin Barnholt, Culpeper District Structure and Bridge. 

From left, Breydan Herring, Keene AHQ, Benjamin Davidson, 

Charlottesville Bridge Crew and Kyle Clem, Warrenton Bridge Crew. 

From left, Devone Ferguson, Bealeton AHQ, Jennifer Seymour, 

Right of Way and Jeff McGraw, Cuckoo AHQ. 

Upcoming State Office Closures 

State offices will closed on the following upcoming dates. See 

the 2024 Commonwealth of Virginia Pay and Holiday Calendar for 

more information. 

Jan. 1 – New Year’s Day 

Jan. 15 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 

Feb. 19 – George Washington Day


More Than 700 Service Years Recognized at Event 

Culpeper District held its fall Service Awards in 

October, and as has become something of a district 

tradition, the event celebrated more than 700 – 

710 to be exact – years of service. Along with the 

celebration, of course, came a buffet breakfast 

served up by Pepper’s Grill. 

Stacy Londrey, assistant district administrator for 

planning and investment management, reflected 

on the agency’s mission. “We are in public service. 

A career in public service is all about hope. It comes 

down to our mission and all those little items that 

we do: every work zone we set up, every signal 

40 YEARS OF SERVICE 

that we fix, every payroll that is certified, every 

At center, Calvin Bragg, Palmyra AHQ accepts his service 

call out that we answer, every 12-hour snow shift; 

recognition. Bragg stands with Stacy Londrey and his 

all of that stacks up to be something that is bigger supervisor, John Mayhew. Not pictured: Howard Tomlinson, 

than ourselves. That is to have a safe and efficient 

Structure and Bridge. 

transportation system that moves people, moves 

goods, drives our economy, gives us the quality of 

life that we all want as Virginians and that people 

want as they are traveling through …” 

Londrey said that, looking around the room at 

the years of service, the diversity of talent, reminds 

her that the Culpeper District is a team of 493 

employees. “All of that stacks up to something 

much greater than any of us could accomplish by 

ourselves. It is something to think about: All the 

people who have come before, who are about to 

retire; and we have here today 22 people with 

5 years of service. It is not only the work we do, 

it is also the work that will come in the next few 


generations. What makes me hopeful is you all. “ 

John Ayers, Cuckoo AHQ; Carl Lane, West Culpeper AHQ; 

John Scrivani, the agency’s director of safety, 

Michael Norris, Warrenton Residency Administration; 

security and emergency management, talked about Jonathan Stowe, Assistant D.E. L&D; Roy Tate, Warrenton 

public service as the “backbone” of any modern 

Administration; Not Pictured: Karen Settle, Culpeper 

Administration; Richard Eppard, Stanardsville AHQ. 

society. “It is a calling that demands commitment, 

selflessness, and an unwavering commitment to the 

betterment of our communities.” 

He reminded the group that each year of service recognized represents not just a number, “but a story 

of hard work, dedication and sacrifice.” He continued, “They represent the hours spent, the challenges 

faced and overcome, and the innovations and improvements implemented to improve the quality of life 

in the commonwealth.” 

Continues on page 12


Service (continued) 

Scrivani gave the group some advice from 

his 30 years in public service: 

Take advantage of opportunities and make 

opportunities if you can. For example, he said, 

even if you’re not a supervisor, take some 

supervisor training. It may be useful in your 

future career. 

Find people who are willing to be your 

mentors. Everyone will come into situations 

where they don’t know the answer, and 

having someone who can guide you is 

invaluable. “It’s not just work, you should 

have mentors throughout your whole life.” 

Appreciate those in your life who care for 

you. He spoke about his wife and his family, 

who have been with him and supported him 

throughout his career, including extended 

deployments and absences from home after 

9/11, Hurricane Sandy, and during COVID. 

What we do, being called out on weekends, 

holidays, puts a tremendous strain on our 

families. “Go home today and thank them, 

because they are who makes us successful.” 

Scrivani also reflected on public service and 

why we do what we do. “For some people, 

they need a job, for others it is the benefits 

that take care of their families, and for many 

it is the satisfaction and sense of 

accomplishment. Pick whatever motivates you 

and work from that. It is also an opportunity 

to take care of the agency, to make it better 

for those who come behind. For more than 

100 years the people who came before us 

have made VDOT what it is now.” 


John Scrivani presents service awards to Jason Bickley, 

Gordonsville AHQ; Gabe Brown, Construction; Ronnie 

Shepard, West Culpeper AHQ. Not pictured: Thomas 

McDaniel, Jr., Madison AHQ. 


Glen Banks, West Culpeper AHQ; Eric Dudley, Culpeper 

Structure and Bridge Maintenance. Not pictured: Lavalla 

Coleman, Fiscal. 

More photos on page 13 


John Scrivani presents service awards to Duane Ballenger, 

District Shop; Lynn Clatterbuck, Fiscal; Justin Earhart, Bealeton 

AHQ; Willie Gordon, Louisa Admin; Jason Raines, Free Union 

AHQ. Not pictured: Jason Orr, Location and Design


Service (continued) 


Ray Banton, District Shop; Benjamin Davison, Warrenton Residency; Mitch Gravitt, Charlottesville Residency; Auburn McNutt, 

Boyd Tavern AHQ, Mark Nesbit, Warrenton Residency; Grant Sanders, Traffic Engineering; Michael Sprouse, Charlottesville 

Residency; Teri Welsh, Charlottesville Residency; Not pictured: Brian Wentz, District Shop. 


Keith Beaver, Equipment; Shannon Chambers, Louisa Residency; Jessica Coffey, Maintenance; Benjamin Dalton, Cuckoo 

AHQ; David Gibson, Free Union AHQ; Jonathan Herndon, Boyd Tavern AHQ; Brandon Jacobs, Bealeton AHQ; David McPeak, 

Bealeton AHQ; Kent Morehouse, Cuckoo AHQ; Joseph Parrott, Palmyra AHQ; Anthony Ryder, Gordonsville AHQ; Brandon 

Shifflett, Stanardsville AHQ; Raymond Shupe, Traffic Engineering; Not pictured: Michael Barnes, Culpeper Planning Specialist; 

Allen Harrison, District Shop; Joel Kauffman, Gordonsville AHQ; Walter Nimmo, District Shop; Donald Schoch, Paving; Kristen 

Shafer, Business; Jacob Simmons, District Shop; Gregory Snead, Charlottesville Structure and Bridge Maintenance; Seth 

Williamson, Madison AHQ.


Agency Launches New Website 

VDOT recently launched its new website, which 

prioritizes user experience and makes popular content, 

such as real-time traffic alerts and resources for business 

partners, easier to find. 

Last redesigned in 2008, the new site is accessible for 

all types of users, including those accessing on mobile 

devices, needing translation options, or using assistive 

technology. It also sports a more modern design aesthetic. 

“We are excited to be delivering a website built with 

the future in mind,” said VDOT Commissioner Stephen 

Brich. 

“We know that people are seeking information to help 

them move through the Commonwealth, and VDOT’s new 

site provides a modern way for all users to find that information easily.” 

Visit the new VDOT website now on desktop and mobile devices at vdot.virginia.gov. 

Compliments on Jobs Well Done 

Charlottesville & District 

Maintenance 

“We returned home very late last night after 

spending the last several weeks on a great trip 

touring Ireland. As we drove down Dunlora 

Drive, it was delightful to see all of the new 

reflectors on the guardrails which definitely lit 

the way. THANK YOU so much for all of your 

efforts to help keep the roadway safer. 

— Judy Schlussel 

Free Union AHQ 

“I would like to thank the area headquarters 

for getting the problem on Woodburn Road 

taken care of so soon. Thank you. 

— Mary Bennett 

Madison AHQ 

“I want to thank the VDOT crews for cleaning 

up the trees and debris along the shoulders of 

Emmett Road and working on the road.” 

— Arlene Aylor 

Hal Jones, Charlottesville 

Residency 

“I want to give a shout out to, there's a 

gentleman at VDOT — I’m going to have to 

think of his name really quick — who’s been 

super helpful and informative and takes my calls 

and talks me through everything. Let me make 

sure that I give his name to give him proper 

credit. Hal Jones, or Harold Jones. Really nice 

person and helped reduce my anxiety about the 

whole thing. When we’d see something in the 

paper, oh, you know, there’s this new plan, and 

by the way they’re going to take off your side 

yard. I’d call Hal and he’d be like no, that’s not 

accurate.” 

— Laura Mulligan Thomas (Dunlora 

Resident) 

Stanardsville AHQ: 11/4/2023 

“Thank you for the prompt service on 

Spotswood Trail.” 

— Stephen Mathis


Every Dollar Counts! 

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payflex.com. Contact PayFlex FSA at 855-516-8595 if 

you need assistance with your account. 

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 

Take time to care for your mental and emotional 

well-being. EAP is entirely confidential and 

available to enrolled health plan members and their 

household members. Four no-cost counseling visits 

per issue, per plan year are available for face-toface, 

telephonic, or virtual visits. 

Contact: 

• Anthem at 855-223-9277 or AnthemEAP.com 

(Company Code: Commonwealth of Virginia). 

• Aetna at 888-238-6232 or mylifevalues.com 

(Username & Password: COVA) 

• Kaiser Permanente at 866-517-7042 or 

achievesolutions.net/kaiser 

BENEFITS CONTACTS 

Anthem Member Services 

Medical, prescription drug, optional vision/hearing 

1-800-552-2682 

anthem.com/cova 

Flexible spending accounts (FSA) 

1-877-451-7244 

benefitadminsolutions.com/anthem 

Employee Assistance Program 

1-855-223-9277 

anthemeap.com 

COVA HealthAware (Aetna) 

Medical, dental, EAP, prescription drug, vision, 

hearing 

1-855-414-1901 

covahealthaware.com 

Kaiser Permanente 

Medical insurance 

1-800-777-7902 

kp.org/mida/commonwealthofvirginia 

Delta Dental 

Dental insurance 

1-888-335-8296 

deltadentalva.com 

Securian Group & Optional Life Insurance 

Group and optional life insurance 

1-800-441-2258 

varetire.org/members/benefits/life-insurance/ 

index.asp 

Alight (formerly ReedGroup) 

Disability insurance 

1-877-928-7021 

varetire.org/members/disability/vsdp/index.asp 

reedgroup.com/vrs/vrs-employee-virginiasickness-disability-program/ 

MC Innovations (MCI) 

Workers’ Compensation Administrator 

1-804-649-2288 

covwc.com 

MissionSquare Retirement (formerly ICMA-RC) 

Defined compensation plans 

1-877-327-5261 

varetire.org/members/Benefits/definedcontribution/index.asp 

Virginia Retirement System (VRS) 

State retirement benefits 

1-888-VARETIR (1-888-827-3847) 

varetire.org

Culpeper District Pipeline - October-December 2023

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