Highway maintenance workers maintain much more than the traffic arteries
that crisscross the country;
they keep up all sorts of other roads, too,
including county roads, airport runways, and public rights-of-way.
In their unending pursuit to keep America’s roads in good condition,
highway maintenance workers repair guard rails,
road markings, and snow fences,
and also patch broken pavement and potholes.
They mow ditches, clear litter and brush or undergrowth in the summer,
and plow snow during the winter.
Highway maintenance workers almost always work 40 hours a week
and some may find the work conditions strenuous.
The majority of the work day is spent outside, often in high or low temperatures,
around contaminants and heavy machinery.
Safety gear and protective clothing are worn much of the time.
Most highway maintenance workers have a high school diploma or equivalent.