Highway Maintenance Workers

Highway Maintenance Workers score 2 out of 100, which is low exposure to AI. That ranks #872 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 19 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 0 on its own and 1 more with extra software built on top of it. None of its tasks showed up in real AI use in April–May 2026.

2/ 100

Low

Rank: #872of 923 jobs
US workers: 154,960BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $50,260a year
In real AI use: 0 of 19tasks, April–May 2026

Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 0 (0%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 1 (5%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 18 (95%)

Inspect markers to verify accurate installation.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
Set out signs and cones around work areas to divert traffic.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Flag motorists to warn them of obstacles or repair work ahead.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Perform preventative maintenance on vehicles and heavy equipment.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Drive trucks to transport crews and equipment to work sites.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Erect, install, or repair guardrails, road shoulders, berms, highway markers, warning signals, and highway lighting, using hand tools and power tools.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Clean and clear debris from culverts, catch basins, drop inlets, ditches, and other drain structures.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
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.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Haul and spread sand, gravel, and clay to fill washouts and repair road shoulders.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Inspect, clean, and repair drainage systems, bridges, tunnels, and other structures.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Remove litter and debris from roadways, including debris from rock and mud slides.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Dump, spread, and tamp asphalt, using pneumatic tampers, to repair joints and patch broken pavement.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Perform roadside landscaping work, such as clearing weeds and brush, and planting and trimming trees.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Apply poisons along roadsides and in animal burrows to eliminate unwanted roadside vegetation and rodents.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Measure and mark locations for installation of markers, using tape, string, or chalk.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Paint traffic control lines and place pavement traffic messages, by hand or using machines.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Apply oil to road surfaces, using sprayers.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Place and remove snow fences used to prevent the accumulation of drifting snow on highways.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Blend compounds to form adhesive mixtures used for marker installation.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task

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This job is already among the least exposed in its field.

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Questions about highway maintenance workers and AI

Will AI replace highway maintenance workers?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Highway Maintenance Workers score 2 out of 100 (low exposure), #872 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 1 of the job's 19 tasks, 0 of them on its own, while 18 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which highway maintenance workers tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Inspect markers to verify accurate installation".

Which highway maintenance workers tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "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".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Not much yet. None of the job's tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude in April–May 2026, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as highway maintenance workers, and what do they earn?

About 154,960 people in the US, with median pay of $50,260 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.

Highway Maintenance Workers

Task by task

Similar jobs, lower exposure

Other jobs in this field

Questions about highway maintenance workers and AI

Know what's changing before it reaches your job.