Will Technology Be the Death Knell of the Elected Highway Superintendent?

For generations, the elected highway superintendent has been a staple of rural and small-town America. These men and women, often without formal degrees, but rich in practical knowledge, rose through the ranks by operating plows, patching potholes, and keeping roads passable through the worst weather. Their qualifications were their calloused hands, deep local roots, and a lifelong understanding of how to keep things moving.

But as technology creeps deeper into every corner of public service, a question quietly echoes in town halls and board meetings: Is the traditional, elected highway superintendent becoming obsolete?

Experience vs. Expertise

The classic superintendent is a boots-on-the-ground figure; someone who can diagnose a grader’s hydraulic issue by ear, who knows every culvert and problem intersection by memory. But today’s highway departments require more than operational savvy. Increasingly, they demand technological fluency.

Asset management software now tracks every road surface, catch basin, and stop sign. Work orders are digital. Compliance with MS4 regulations means documenting maintenance activities electronically. Trucks are equipped with GPS, telematics, and automated spreader controls. Drones inspect bridges. Budgeting, scheduling, and planning rely on data dashboards.

This isn’t a world where a flip phone and a legal pad cut it anymore.

The Skills Gap

The issue isn’t intelligence. Many elected superintendents are highly capable individuals. But there is often a significant gap between their field experience and their comfort with administrative and technical tools. Learning to operate a snowplow in a blizzard is one thing; learning to configure asset management systems, export budget reports, or interface with GIS is another.

Unfortunately, these skills aren’t optional anymore. Town boards, state auditors, environmental regulators, and even residents expect digital competence.

Appointed vs. Elected

In some regions, the push is on to convert the highway superintendent from an elected to an appointed position. The argument? Appointing allows the town to select candidates based on qualifications that reflect today’s needs, not just popularity or name recognition.

Appointed public works directors are often engineers or administrators with degrees in civil engineering or public administration. They bring familiarity with state regulations, procurement systems, and the technology that underpins modern infrastructure management.

This shift is controversial, and understandably so. Moving away from elected positions can feel like eroding local control. But it’s also a response to the growing complexity of the job.

A Path Forward?

Does this mean the traditional highway superintendent is doomed? Not necessarily. But adaptation is critical.

• Training: Offering robust tech training and administrative education to sitting superintendents can close the gap.

• Support Staff: Towns can supplement the superintendent with a tech-savvy deputy or clerk to handle software-heavy tasks.

• Hybrid Models: Some communities explore hybrid public works leadership, where an elected superintendent shares duties with an appointed director or engineer.

The Bottom Line

Technology isn’t just changing how roads are built. It’s changing who is best equipped to oversee them. If elected superintendents want to remain relevant in the decades to come, they’ll need to evolve alongside the departments they lead.

And for municipalities? It’s time to evaluate whether your structure still serves your needs, or if it’s time to modernize leadership to match a modernized toolbox.

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