Why Highway Superintendents Must Respond Promptly to Emails and Voicemails

June 28, 2025

In the world of public works, communication isn’t a luxury - it’s a duty. Highway superintendents are responsible not only for maintaining safe and functional roads but also for keeping the public informed and reassured. When calls and emails from residents, contractors, or town officials go unanswered, trust erodes, small problems can escalate into crises, and the department’s credibility suffers. Here’s why prompt communication matters: Public Safety and Service Quality…continue

Don’t Dig Blind: Why Your Highway Crew Must Contact Dig Safe First

June 14, 2025

In highway maintenance and construction, digging is routine, but it should never be done without first contacting Dig Safe or your local "Call Before You Dig" service. Whether you’re replacing a culvert, installing a new signpost, or trenching for drainage improvements, underground utilities are a constant, invisible risk. Striking a buried gas line, water main, fiber optic cable, or electric conduit is not only expensive, it’s dangerous and potentially fatal. Here’s …continue

Handling Angry Resident Calls

January 8, 2019

A highway department's phone is most often the front line of customer service and, quite often, when someone calls their highway department, it is a complaint. They are angry at something we have done, something they believe we have done incorrectly, or something we didn't do, but they feel we should have. There are members of the public who are extremely passionate about our perceived failings and we, as civil servants, must be skilled in de-escalating the hostility and, if possible, ma…continue