The Virginia Department of Transportation has been preparing for months, and now the time has come to implement some severe changes.

Sandy Myers, from VDOT, has been preparing for a reduced highway budget. The Commonwealth Transportation Board approved that budget Thursday, which means those preparations will soon go into effect.

Myers says, "We're in a very volatile period. We are going through obviously a lot of change."

The number of rest areas will be reduced, grass along the interstates will not be maintained as it was, and VDOT residencies in Luray and Verona will close.

Myers adds, "We are having to reinvent ourselves, if you will. The VDOT that comes out of the blueprint is going to be a very different agency then the VDOT we've seen for the last several decades."

The department will also have to take highway safety patrol cars off the interstates for the time being, which is something Myers says is a huge blow to VDOT, to state police and to the entire emergency services community.

Myers says, "That is a service that will probably feel that absence greatly."

Myers says they've also been forced to wait on many highway projects. On top of that, federal stimulus funds are only keeping some of VDOT's initiatives alive.

Myers adds, "It's very precious to us, and we know it's very precious to the citizens too. We respect that, but we are in very difficult times and people will be noticing some changes here."

Snow removal was not included in this round of cuts. VDOT says it will continue that service on a priority basis.