Highway Maintenance Workers
Human Advantage 62%
Significant human skills needed
AI Automation Risk Moderate Risk
3.3 / 10
Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.
Maintain highways, municipal and rural roads, airport runways, and rights-of-way. Duties include patching broken or eroded pavement and repairing guard rails, highway markers, and snow fences. May also mow or clear brush from along road, or plow snow from roadway.
Also Known As: Asphalt Raker, Caltrans Equipment Operator, Certified Flagger, Construction Flagger, Equipment Operator (EO), Flagger, Highway Maintainer, Highway Maintenance Crew Worker +36 more
Core Tasks
- Set out signs and cones around work areas to divert traffic.
- Flag motorists to warn them of obstacles or repair work ahead.
- Perform preventative maintenance on vehicles and heavy equipment.
- Drive trucks to transport crews and equipment to work sites.
- Erect, install, or repair guardrails, road shoulders, berms, highway markers, warning signals, and highway lighting, using hand tools and power tools.
- Clean and clear debris from culverts, catch basins, drop inlets, ditches, and other drain structures.
- Drive heavy equipment and vehicles with adjustable attachments to sweep debris from paved surfaces, mow grass and weeds, remove snow and ice, and spread salt and sand.
- Haul and spread sand, gravel, and clay to fill washouts and repair road shoulders.
- Inspect, clean, and repair drainage systems, bridges, tunnels, and other structures.
- Remove litter and debris from roadways, including debris from rock and mud slides.
- Dump, spread, and tamp asphalt, using pneumatic tampers, to repair joints and patch broken pavement.
- Perform roadside landscaping work, such as clearing weeds and brush, and planting and trimming trees.
Supplemental Tasks (7)
- Apply poisons along roadsides and in animal burrows to eliminate unwanted roadside vegetation and rodents.
- Measure and mark locations for installation of markers, using tape, string, or chalk.
- Paint traffic control lines and place pavement traffic messages, by hand or using machines.
- Apply oil to road surfaces, using sprayers.
- Inspect markers to verify accurate installation.
- Place and remove snow fences used to prevent the accumulation of drifting snow on highways.
- Blend compounds to form adhesive mixtures used for marker installation.
Education & Training
Job Zone 2 Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Experience: Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.
Technology & Tools
Hot Technologies
Software (9)
Tools & Equipment (141)
Where This Career Leads
Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.
Equipment Operation & Maintenance Advanced Manufacturing
Zone 1
Logging Equipment Operators 79% match
Zone 2
Highway Maintenance Workers You are here
Zone 3
Maintenance Workers, Machinery 79% match
Maintenance & Repair Advanced Manufacturing
Zone 2
Highway Maintenance Workers You are here
Zone 4
Transportation Inspectors 78% match
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