Virginia Department of Transportation employees are tired.

Despite heavy rain and snow flurries, VDOT road maintenance employees spent Tuesday picking up tires dumped off the Pitchkettle Road ramp onto U.S. 58 right-of-way.

&uot;They picked up 50 or 75 today and they still have more to go,&uot; said Sandy Shortridge, a spokeswoman for the agency.

VDOT is taking the tires to the Southeastern Public Service Authority’s landfill for proper disposal, she said. The landfill charges to dispose of each tire.

Shortridge does not know how much the cleanup is costing VDOT.

So far, the agency has not been able to determine who dumped the tires, Shortridge said.

&uot;If we find out who it is, we will send them a bill,&uot; she said.

She didn’t know whether VDOT would pursue legal action against the party.

Road maintenance workers occasionally haul away a tire or other debris that has been left on VDOT property, Shortridge said.

&uot;Although no scientific study has been done, our road maintenance supervisor says this seems to be an increasing problem,&uot; she added.

allison.williams@suffolknewsherald.com