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		» Patch potholes » Seal roadway cracks » Winter Maintenance » Paint stripes and stop bars on the roadway » Maintain roadside and noxious weed control »  Fix damage to guardrail or fences » Clean ditches and culverts » Clean rest areas » Lighting and traffic signal systems » Safety patrol for roadway debris

Who we are

The Maintenance and Operation (M&O) program is accomplished by state employees and nearly all the work is done with state gas tax funds. The program includes maintenance activities that protect roads & bridges, increase public safety, as well as keep the highway operating efficiently.

Maintenance personnel are also the first line of defense when natural disasters such as mud slides, floods, fires and earthquakes threaten the system.

Why not contract out the work?

Some states contract out (outsource) maintenance work to the private industry. Can outsourcing produce cost savings or improvements in service? There is not much literature available in-between the two extreme views on this subject (pro and con) but a growing body of independently prepared audits provide some middle ground.

(Folio Handout, pdf, 400kb)

Read "WSDOT's Review of Highway Maintenance "Outsourcing" Experience" to learn more about lessons from five states and British Columbia.

If you have comments or questions, contact Patricia Mason at 360.705.7859, or email masonp@wsdot.wa.gov.

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