Will AI replace Highway Maintenance Workers?
AI can do 0% of the work Highway Maintenance Workers do at least twice as fast. None of their 19 tasks show real AI use yet. Robots can technically handle 15 physical tasks. 4 still need a person.
AI is already doing this0 · 0% of time
People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.
- Real AI use has not reached any of this job's tasks yet.
AI could do this next0 · 0% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- No other tasks in this job can be sped up by AI today.
Robots can technically do this15 · 79% of time
Physical tasks that today's robots can perform in at least some settings. Robots are cost competitive for very few tasks so far, so this change moves slower.
- 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.Robots: structured workplaces19% of time
- Drive trucks to transport crews and equipment to work sites.Robots: structured workplaces8% of time
- Set out signs and cones around work areas to divert traffic.Robots: purpose built settings7% of time
- Erect, install, or repair guardrails, road shoulders, berms, highway markers, warning signals, and highway lighting, using hand tools and power tools.Robots: purpose built settings7% of time
- Clean and clear debris from culverts, catch basins, drop inlets, ditches, and other drain structures.Robots: purpose built settings7% of time
- Perform roadside landscaping work, such as clearing weeds and brush, and planting and trimming trees.Robots: structured workplaces7% of time
- Flag motorists to warn them of obstacles or repair work ahead.Robots: almost anywhere6% of time
- Remove litter and debris from roadways, including debris from rock and mud slides.Robots: purpose built settings6% of time
- Haul and spread sand, gravel, and clay to fill washouts and repair road shoulders.Robots: structured workplaces5% of time
- Paint traffic control lines and place pavement traffic messages, by hand or using machines.Robots: structured workplaces2% of time
- Inspect markers to verify accurate installation.Robots: structured workplaces1% of time
- Apply poisons along roadsides and in animal burrows to eliminate unwanted roadside vegetation and rodents.Robots: structured workplaces1% of time
- Measure and mark locations for installation of markers, using tape, string, or chalk.Robots: almost anywhere1% of time
- Apply oil to road surfaces, using sprayers.Robots: structured workplaces1% of time
- Blend compounds to form adhesive mixtures used for marker installation.Robots: purpose built settingsunder 1% of time
Still needs a person4 · 21% of time
No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.
- Dump, spread, and tamp asphalt, using pneumatic tampers, to repair joints and patch broken pavement.9% of time
- Perform preventative maintenance on vehicles and heavy equipment.7% of time
- Inspect, clean, and repair drainage systems, bridges, tunnels, and other structures.4% of time
- Place and remove snow fences used to prevent the accumulation of drifting snow on highways.1% of time
Your week is not the average
Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.
What this means
Little of this work suits AI. The bigger change here is robots: today's robots can technically do 79% of the working time, though they are rarely cheap enough to replace people yet.
What to do next
- Keep an eye on the 15 physical tasks robots can technically do. Cost keeps most robots out of work today, so this shift is slower.
- Build on the 4 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
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