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Highway Maintenance Worker

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Life As a Highway Maintenance Worker

Highway Maintenance Worker Definition Maintain highways, municipal and rural roads, airport runways, and rights-of-way. Duties include patching broken or eroded pavement, repairing guard rails, highway markers, and snow fences. May also mow or clear brush from along road or plow snow from roadway.

List of Highway Maintenance Worker Job Duties

  • Dump, spread, and tamp asphalt, using pneumatic tampers, to repair joints and patch broken pavement.
  • Blend compounds to form adhesive mixtures used for marker installation.
  • Perform preventative maintenance on vehicles and heavy equipment.
  • Paint traffic control lines and place pavement traffic messages, by hand or using machines.
  • 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.

Qualities of a Highway Maintenance Worker

These are the skills Highway Maintenance Workers say are the most useful in their careers:

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

  • Snow Plow Operator
  • Maintenance Technician
  • Highway Maintenance Crew Worker
  • Caltrans Equipment Operator
  • Construction Flagger

Highway Maintenance Worker Job Outlook

In the United States, there were 149,900 jobs for Highway Maintenance Worker in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 10,300 new jobs for Highway Maintenance Worker by 2026. The BLS estimates 16,500 yearly job openings in this field.

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The states with the most job growth for Highway Maintenance Worker are Texas, Utah, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in New Jersey, Vermont, or Delaware. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Do Highway Maintenance Workers Make A Lot Of Money?

The average yearly salary of a Highway Maintenance Worker ranges between $26,030 and $59,420.

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Highway Maintenance Workers who work in California, Connecticut, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.

How much do Highway Maintenance Workers make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $30,150
Alaska $42,670
Arizona $39,130
Arkansas $30,070
California $57,070
Colorado $42,690
Connecticut $52,940
Delaware $39,390
Florida $35,780
Georgia $29,590
Hawaii $43,060
Idaho $40,920
Illinois $49,680
Indiana $36,830
Iowa $47,580
Kansas $35,660
Kentucky $33,300
Louisiana $31,260
Maine $35,610
Maryland $37,710
Massachusetts $50,000
Michigan $42,990
Minnesota $48,970
Mississippi $27,260
Missouri $35,520
Montana $44,480
Nebraska $36,920
Nevada $43,830
New Hampshire $37,910
New Jersey $44,550
New Mexico $34,960
New York $45,880
North Carolina $36,680
North Dakota $47,370
Ohio $42,000
Oklahoma $33,070
Oregon $50,320
Pennsylvania $42,630
Rhode Island $45,130
South Carolina $29,980
South Dakota $34,650
Tennessee $32,130
Texas $37,700
Utah $40,740
Vermont $42,050
Virginia $37,460
Washington $52,230
West Virginia $38,830
Wisconsin $43,110
Wyoming $41,730

What Tools & Technology do Highway Maintenance Workers Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Highway Maintenance Workers:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Web browser software
  • Word processing software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Database software

How do I Become a Highway Maintenance Worker?

Individuals working as a Highway Maintenance Worker have obtained the following education levels:

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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Who Employs Highway Maintenance Workers?

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Highway Maintenance Workers work in the following industries:

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Those thinking about becoming a Highway Maintenance Worker might also be interested in the following careers:

Career changers with experience as a Highway Maintenance Worker sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

References:

Image Credit: Hic85 via Public Domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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