VDOT Criticized After Worker Struck

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is under fire because of recent actions that resulted in a near fatality. Jose Porfirio Martinez, a construction worker for a contracting firm in Virginia, was struck in a hit-and-run accident on Afton Mountain. The firm had set up a work zone at this site and requested a state trooper’s presence in order to ensure their workers’ safety. However, the Virginia Department of Transportation denied their request because they claimed there was not enough funding for this type of protection. The accident has proven how dangerous construction zones can be, and as a result VDOT vows to place a state trooper on the Afton Mountain construction zone in order to prevent any more accidents.