Key takeaways
- Texas ($27.2 billion), California ($21.4 billion) and Florida ($14.2 billion) spent the most on highways of any states in 2024, according to FHWA.
- All states together spent about $239 billion on highways in 2024.
- Los Angeles County Public Works has a $4.6 billion budget for 2025-26, one of the largest local public works budgets in the country.
- Houston Public Works calls itself the largest and most diverse public works organization in the US, with about 3,900 employees.
Large city and county public works departments
Large local public works, sanitation and street departments with the budget or staffing each reports. Cities split these jobs differently — some have one public works department, others separate sanitation, transportation and water — so they aren't ranked. Search by name, city or state.
Showing all 8 departments
| Department | Size | Covers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County Public WorksCounty · Los Angeles County, CA | $4.6 billion (FY2025-26 adopted) | Transportation, water resources, building and safety, waste | LA County Public Works |
| NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY)City · New York, NY | $2.11 billion (FY2027 executive plan); 9,587 full-time positions (FY2026) | Collection, recycling, street cleaning, snow | NYC Council |
| Houston Public WorksCity · Houston, TX | About $1.8 billion a year; about 3,900 employees | Water and wastewater, streets, drainage, permitting; solid waste joins in FY2027 | Houston Public Works |
| NYC Department of TransportationCity · New York, NY | $1.56 billion (FY2027 preliminary); 5,999 budgeted full-time positions | Streets, bridges, signals, ferries | NYC Council |
| Los Angeles Department of Public WorksCity · Los Angeles, CA | 13.8% of city spending in the FY2026-27 proposed budget | Five bureaus: Contract Administration, Engineering, Sanitation, Street Lighting, Street Services | Crosstown |
| Chicago Department of Streets and SanitationCity · Chicago, IL | $344.7 million (FY2024 proposed) | Garbage, recycling, forestry, street sweeping, snow | Chicago COFA |
| Phoenix Public WorksCity · Phoenix, AZ | More than 600 Solid Waste employees; trash service to more than 420,000 households | Solid waste, citywide fleet of about 8,000 units, city buildings | City of Phoenix |
| San Antonio Public WorksCity · San Antonio, TX | $122.4 million for street maintenance in FY2026 (about 1,464 projects) | Streets, sidewalks, drainage, traffic signals | KSAT |
State highway spending by state
Every state ranked by total highway disbursements in 2024, which covers spending by state highway agencies — mostly state departments of transportation and toll authorities — on construction, maintenance, administration, debt and grants to local governments.
Showing all 50 states and DC
| # | State | Highway spending, 2024 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TexasState highway agencies | $27.2 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 2 | CaliforniaState highway agencies | $21.4 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 3 | FloridaState highway agencies | $14.2 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 4 | New YorkState highway agencies | $12.5 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 5 | PennsylvaniaState highway agencies | $10.0 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 6 | New JerseyState highway agencies | $9.6 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 7 | IllinoisState highway agencies | $8.7 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 8 | VirginiaState highway agencies | $8.4 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 9 | North CarolinaState highway agencies | $8.0 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 10 | WashingtonState highway agencies | $7.5 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 11 | OhioState highway agencies | $6.6 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 12 | MichiganState highway agencies | $6.0 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 13 | MassachusettsState highway agencies | $5.6 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 14 | GeorgiaState highway agencies | $5.2 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 15 | IndianaState highway agencies | $4.7 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 16 | MarylandState highway agencies | $4.6 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 17 | MinnesotaState highway agencies | $4.2 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 18 | WisconsinState highway agencies | $4.0 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 19 | OklahomaState highway agencies | $3.9 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 20 | ArizonaState highway agencies | $3.8 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 21 | MissouriState highway agencies | $3.8 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 22 | ColoradoState highway agencies | $3.7 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 23 | TennesseeState highway agencies | $3.5 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 24 | KentuckyState highway agencies | $3.3 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 25 | South CarolinaState highway agencies | $3.3 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 26 | ConnecticutState highway agencies | $3.2 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 27 | KansasState highway agencies | $3.0 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 28 | IowaState highway agencies | $3.0 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 29 | LouisianaState highway agencies | $2.9 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 30 | UtahState highway agencies | $2.6 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 31 | West VirginiaState highway agencies | $2.5 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 32 | OregonState highway agencies | $2.5 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 33 | ArkansasState highway agencies | $2.4 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 34 | AlabamaState highway agencies | $2.4 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 35 | DelawareState highway agencies | $2.2 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 36 | NevadaState highway agencies | $1.8 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 37 | IdahoState highway agencies | $1.8 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 38 | NebraskaState highway agencies | $1.7 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 39 | New MexicoState highway agencies | $1.7 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 40 | MississippiState highway agencies | $1.6 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 41 | MaineState highway agencies | $1.4 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 42 | MontanaState highway agencies | $1.3 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 43 | AlaskaState highway agencies | $1.2 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 44 | South DakotaState highway agencies | $1.2 billion | FHWA SF-2 |
| 45 | North DakotaState highway agencies | $969 million | FHWA SF-2 |
| 46 | Rhode IslandState highway agencies | $827 million | FHWA SF-2 |
| 47 | VermontState highway agencies | $780 million | FHWA SF-2 |
| 48 | WyomingState highway agencies | $746 million | FHWA SF-2 |
| 49 | New HampshireState highway agencies | $712 million | FHWA SF-2 |
| 50 | District of ColumbiaState highway agencies | $698 million | FHWA SF-2 |
| 51 | HawaiiState highway agencies | $370 million | FHWA SF-2 |
Selling to public works departments
Public works buys engineering and construction, paving and materials, heavy equipment, fleet, water and stormwater systems, traffic and street lighting, asset management and work order software, and solid waste services.
- Read the capital improvement plan. Most major projects show up in a five- or ten-year CIP before they go to bid.
- Know the divisions. Engineering, streets, fleet, solid waste and utilities often buy separately and have their own managers.
- Follow federal and state money. Federal highway formula funds, state DOT grants and bonds pay for much local road work.
- Get on the right lists. Prequalification with the state DOT and registration on city bid portals come first for construction and engineering work.
See our guide to selling construction services, heavy equipment and largest government fleets.
Sources
- FHWA, Highway Statistics 2024, Table SF-2 (January 2026)
- City of Houston FY2027 budget, Houston Public Works
- Each department's budget or report, linked in the tables above
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