Just the Numbers:
Since 1908
3,200 employees
17,000 lane miles
2,500 bridges
7 districts
28 maintenance shops
$1 billion a year
24-hours,7-days a week
98 salt domes
23 counties
.....

How a Road is Built and Maintained
Providing the best possible highway service demands careful long and short term planning, solid construction and consistent maintenance. However, a lot more goes into building a road than these three simplified steps. Once a road is complete the work doesn't end there.

A new road project begins with a need. Whether the public, local agencies or elected officials begin the discussion about new projects, its SHA's regional planners and project engineers who work on area-wide plans and project development studies.

Planning
SHA's cooperative planning process forecasts travel patterns, evaluates alternate methods of transportation and analyzes environmental and community impacts of proposed projects. During the preliminary planning process we ensure that proposed projects are compatible to local conditions and are environmentally friendly. We even have archeologists who conduct investigations at future construction sites.

Funding
Before a road can be built, MDOT must be sure enough money will be available to cover planning, design and construction costs.

Real Estate
We may also need to acquire land easements necessary for construction of highway projects by appraising the value of property and determining fair compensation for the property owner.

Bridge Design
SHA has statewide responsibility for all new design, rehabilitation and inspection of bridges. SHA's hands-on bridge inspection program has been used by the Federal Highway Administration as a model for other states.