Analysis
NAICS 237310 is the 2022 national industry for highway, street, and bridge construction, part of 23731 (Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction). Census lists 38 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 9,256 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 314,940 people at an average annual payroll of $98,566 per employee (83rd percentile of national industries). 36% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Census lists 6 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 237990, 238210, 238320 and 238910. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include abutment construction, airport runway construction, airport runway line painting (e.g., striping) and asphalt paving (i.e., highway, road, street, public…, among 38 in all.
For example, constructing tunnels are classified in 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction) instead.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 4% and employment rose 5%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the construction of highways (including elevated), streets, roads, airport runways, public sidewalks, or bridges. The work performed may include new work, reconstruction, rehabilitation, and repairs. Specialty trade contractors are included in this industry if they are engaged in activities primarily related to highway, street, and bridge construction (e.g., installing guardrails on highways).
Illustrative Examples:
Airport runway construction Highway line painting Causeway construction Painting traffic lanes or parking lot lines Culverts, highway, road, and street, construction Pothole filling, highway, road, street, or bridge Elevated highway construction Resurfacing, highway, road, street, or bridge Guardrail construction Sign erection, highway, road, street, or bridge
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Constructing tunnels | 237990 Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction |
| Highway lighting and signal installation | 238210 Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors |
| Painting bridges | 238320 Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
| Road decommissioning or removing culverts or bridges | 238910 Site Preparation Contractors |
| Constructing parking lots, private driveways, sidewalks, or erecting billboards | 238990 All Other Specialty Trade Contractors |
| Providing road cleaning or snow removal services | 488490 Other Support Activities for Road Transportation |
Index entries (38)
- Abutment construction
- Airport runway construction
- Airport runway line painting (e.g., striping)
- Asphalt paving (i.e., highway, road, street, public sidewalk)
- Bridge approach construction
- Bridge construction
- Bridge decking construction
- Causeway construction
- Concrete paving (i.e., highway, road, street, public sidewalk)
- Construction management, highway, road, street and bridge
- Culverts, highway, road and street, construction
- Curbs and street gutters, highway, road and street, construction
- Elevated highway construction
- Grading, highway, road, street and airport runway
- Guardrail construction
- Highway construction
- Highway line painting
- Logging road construction
- Oil field road construction
- Overpass construction
- Painting lines on highways, streets and bridges
- Painting traffic lanes or parking lots
- Parking lot marking and line painting
- Parkway construction
- Pavement, highway, road, street, bridge or airport runway, construction
- Pothole filling, highway, road, street or bridge
- Repair, highway, road, street, bridge or airport runway
- Resurfacing, highway, road, street, bridge or airport runway
- Road construction
- Runway, airport, line painting (e.g., striping)
- Sidewalk, public, construction
- Sign erection, highway, road, street, or bridge
- Street construction
- Surfacing, highway, road, street, bridge or airport runway
- Tarring roads
- Traffic lane painting
- Trestle construction
- Underpass construction