Construction · SOC 47-4051
Physical roadwork, flagging, and equipment operation keep this role firmly out of AI's reach for now.
Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
Timeline: Autonomous maintenance robots exist in pilots but are a decade from displacing human crews on varied public roadways.
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$51,650 median pay
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AI job-risk card
Highway Maintenance Workers is resilient on AIFear. Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
AIFear.com
Our AI Fear Score for Highway Maintenance Workers is 12/100 (Resilient). Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
12 out of 100, based on an AI-model review of this occupation's O*NET tasks against what current AI can actually do.
Most exposed: Work scheduling and route planning, Logging maintenance records and inspection reports, Flagging coordination with traffic management systems. Harder to automate: Physical repair of guardrails, signs, and lighting, Operating heavy machinery in unpredictable terrain, Real-time hazard response on live roadways.
Lean into Heavy equipment operation, Infrastructure inspection, Traffic control management, Preventive maintenance planning. Consider roles such as Transportation supervisor or Infrastructure inspector or Road project foreman.
Tasks, skills and AI-exposure for this role were reviewed by an AI model against its O*NET task profile (curated roles use published research anchors). Pay and employment, where shown, are U.S. BLS OEWS (May 2024) figures. This is an estimate, not a prediction about any individual's job. Compare all occupations.