Bridge, Road, and Highway Construction

A Brief History of the Road

The oldest constructed paved streets date back to 4,000 B.C. in Ur and Babylon's Mesopotamian cities, which are located in modern-day Iraq. However, the Romans perfected road construction and used that skill to unite an extensive empire. Rome built over 120,000 KM of roads across its vast territories, allowing goods, people, and armies to move freely. One of the most famous Roman roadways was the Via Appia, shown above, stretching 120 Roman miles from Rome through southern Italy. It would be equivalent to one of our modern interstates.

Modern U.S. Interstate Highway

In 1956, President Eisenhower created the modern U.S. version of Via Appia when he signed into law the Federal-Aid Highway Act. From his experience in World War II, where he was tasked with moving soldiers across Germany's four-lane highways, Eisenhower knew the vital importance of road systems. He is quoted as saying some four years before the legislation was passed, “The obsolescence of the nation’s highways presents an appalling problem of waste, danger, and death.”

With the new interstate highway system, goods traveled faster, and isolated areas became more connected. Today there are millions of miles of roads across the U.S. infrastructure. Here is a quick look:

As you can tell, we've come a long way since 1956 with the miles of roads linking cities, businesses, and communities to one another. You might wonder, how were the Roman roads different from modern roads in their construction? While today’s asphalt roads are much smoother than the materials such as cobblestones used thousands of years ago, cobblestones last a long time, which is evident in ancient streets still being intact today. Asphalt has a much shorter life expectancy and must be maintained and replaced regularly.

Yet, even though there may be some notable differences, modern roads serve the same purpose as their older cobblestone counterparts. They both move people and goods across a vast landscape and connect communities hundreds and thousands of miles apart.

Industry Overview

Highway, street, and bridge construction make up the construction sub-industry identified by NAICS 237300. This coded number allows the Government to classify all businesses' activities within the sector, helping workers and suppDespite these financial downfalls and the decline in sizeliers better understand the industry. This sub-industry includes companies involved in the following construction areas:

According to IBISWorld, the highway, street, and bridge construction industry produce over $115.6 billion in economic activity each year, with over 216,000 total businesses calling this industry home. Overall, it is the 5th largest construction sub-industry and 90th largest industry overall in the U.S. However, the industry has been somewhat on a decline, reducing in size by .6% from 2015 to 2020.

A graph showing the distribution of costs for buildingthe national highway system.

Despite these financial downfalls and the decline in size, there are some signs of optimism for the industry. The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) reports that 231,000 bridges across the nation need significant repair work. This means more than a third of all bridges in the U.S. need attention by construction workers in this industry. Many companies will be called on in the coming years to answer this increased need, especially as the nation’s infrastructure becomes a higher priority for the government and lawmakers. With the population on the rise, new roads will be required, and additional maintenance will be necessary to handle increased transportation needs.

How a Road is Built

How are roads constructed? Thanks to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), we have an entire outline of the process. After the initial planning phase, which is where an assessment is performed on immediate roadway needs, four more steps are needed to build a road. Here is a look at the stages of road construction:

Once fully completed, new roads connect distant areas, like the new I-69 interstate running from Michigan to Texas and designed to connect Canada and Mexico. I-69 is planned to be completed by 2024. older roads, regular maintenance, and road repairs ensure that drivers will have a smooth ride instead of potholes and bumps. To keep old and new roads running smoothly, though, requires workers and lots of equipment.

The United States Department of Transportation

The U.S. Department of Transportation is the federal agency concerned with transportation and infrastructure, including roads and bridges. Here are all the administrations that are housed under this department:

Associations

FHWA is an essential component in the development of roads. However, numerous other associations assist construction workers. Here are some other professional groups guiding those who operate in the road construction industry.

The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) – This trade association represents over 27,000 members across the construction industry and is the largest construction association.

AmericanRoad and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) – All aspects of transportation construction are brought together with ARTBA initiatives.

NationalAsphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) – This group represents all those producing asphalt or contracting out asphalt work.

All road construction associations have one thing in common: keeping road construction workers armed with the most relevant, up-to-date information possible to help them best perform their job. Many employees in this industry look to these associations for answers.

Employment and Occupations

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), over 351,000 people are employed in Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction. Many artisans are operating in this industry, as it takes various skills to produce a new road. Here are some of the primary occupations working in the industry:

Highway Maintenance Workers

Maintain highways, roads, and airstrips.

Paving, Surface, and Tamping Operators

Use equipment to apply asphalt and material to roads.

Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers

Shape rock and stone into shapes needed to construct bridges.

Carpenters

Build retaining walls on roads and create forms to build bridges.

Heavy Equipment Mechanics

Work on, maintain, and fix broken heavy machinery.

Structural Iron and Steel Workers

Assemble steel frameworks and structural support on bridges.

These workers may all specialize in different areas. However, they share more similarities than one might think. According to O*NET OnLine, they all spend time enduring outdoor weather, and 94% of highway workers surveyed agreed with that fact. Highway, street, and bridge construction workers are also exposed to various contaminants on the job. Let's dive into the activities, tools, and equipment these workers use, as they play an essential role in worker safety.

Road Construction Activities

Building and maintaining roads involves numerous workplace activities carried out by workers with a variety of skills. Below are some of the various activities performed by highway maintenance workers and paving operators:

All the activities we've highlighted above pertain to highway and road workers. However, masons and carpenters are also highly influential in road construction. You will find activities performed by masons on our Masonry industry page, and many carpenters’ daily activities are located on the Carpentry industry page.

Tools and Equipment

Every construction sub-industry requires a unique set of tools to carry out construction and maintenance work. Transportation infrastructure requires heavy construction, which means an even greater range of materials and tools are needed.

We highlight these because many injuries workers suffer are caused by the tools they use.

No matter where they work or what task they perform, road construction workers are regularly exposed to various on-the-job hazards. Workers must always perform their duties with safety in mind; otherwise, someone will be hurt. Accident and injury rates can be lowered by knowing when and where injuries are likely to occur and wearing the proper PPE to protect against the dangers.

Safety

Accidents and injuries are common across the construction industry, especially among road workers. Work zone areas close to active public roadways are always dangerous for both drivers and workers.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

The Federal Highway Administration reported that 27,037 people lost their lives in work zone incidents from 1982 to 2017. And the BLS informs us that from 2011 to 2015, 609 workers were killed at road construction sites. So, as the numbers show us, everyone is at risk when driving through a hazardous work zone.

When you see orange, it's a good indicator you should start slowing down

In 2004, new federal regulations required that anyone working next to a federal-aid highway must wear hi-vis clothing that meets ANSI Class 2 or Class 3 safety vests' requirements. These specific vests have increased amounts of reflective material, helping workers stand out to passing cars or those operating nearby. Also, higher-rated vests help workers stay seen at dusk, dawn, or in other low-light conditions.

Here are some additional 2019 BLS stats that provide insight into areas that are concerning for road construction workers:

• The industry ranks 2nd out of 21 construction sub-industries for thermal burns.
• The industry ranks 2nd for accidents involving motorized vehicles. Only plumbers face more injuries by accidents involving motorized vehicles.
• The industry ranks 6th out of 21 construction sub-industries industries for encountering harmful substances.
• Chemical products caused 190 injuries, the 2nd most.
• 32% of all injuries involve contact with objects and equipment.

And, unbelievably, workers also face injury when they are struck by cans and bottles thrown from passing vehicles. So, once again, it's imperative workers stay focused on safety at all times.

There are numerous other hazards that we will identify below in our hazard section. Before we move on to exploring the PPE needed to keep workers in this industry safe, here are some other helpful online resources regarding safety topics:

With all the safety information and hazard information we've equipped you with, you're now ready to start considering PPE options available to the highway, street, and bridge workers.

PPE

Warm weather is a clear indicator that road work has started on interstates, roads, and streets. And, when temperatures begin climbing, road workers want cool and comfortable hi-vis clothing that breathes. However, when those temperatures start dropping, workers need hi-vis clothing that keeps them warm. How do we know this is true?

Road work is an outdoor job, and outdoor jobs leave workers exposed to the elements. In fact, 95% of highway workers surveyed by the Department of Labor said they were exposed to outdoor weather every day. In the summer, they're exposed to hot conditions, and during the winter, they are exposed to colder conditions. Regardless of the weather, they're working in, staying seen with hi-vis clothing is a must, which is where MCR Safety enters the picture.

Here is a broad list of various PPE MCR Safety supplies to help highway and bridge workers stay protected:

• Face shields

• Goggles

• Steel toe boots

• Safety glasses

• Work gloves – cut, chemical, impact.

• Hi-vis clothing including bomber jackets, rainwear, and hoodies

• Aprons

• Welding clothing

Do you know what else those workers who were surveyed said? To help stay safe and protected, 86% of them said they wear protective clothing every day. As you can see from our list above, we have a wide variety of the kinds of PPE road construction workers need to stay safe and unharmed while at work.

We've highlighted a lot of information and thrown a bunch of industry stats at you. This page's remaining part showcases all the hazards and different PPE options highway and bridge workers should consider wearing while performing their job.

If you prefer to return to the main Construction home page, click the image below. From the home page, you'll be able to access any of the numerous construction industries we cover. If you would prefer to check out some of road construction’s specific hazards, please continue reading below the Construction page image.