Following unprecedented investment during the Biden administration, the chronically bad condition of infrastructure in the United States is heading in the right direction.
In its quadrennial report card on the nation’s infrastructure released Tuesday, the American Society of Civil Engineers said the grades for the condition of infrastructure averaged out to a C. That’s up from C- four years ago, the second cycle in a row with an increase, and marks the first time since the report began in 1998 that none of the 18 categories assessed in the report received a D-.
Still, the organization considers the rating of C as “mediocre, requires attention.”
Overall, nine categories improved their ratings over four years ago; six remained the same; two declined; and one new category, broadband, received a C+.
Most categories with improvements went up one notch — from a C to C+, for example — but the biggest increase was in hazardous waste, where the grade improved from D+ to C. The report said investments of $3.5 billion in the Superfund program and $1.5 billion for brownfields allowed for quicker cleanup of contaminated properties to protect the public and reuse the land.
The two categories that dropped were rail, which fell one notch to B-, and energy, which sank two notches to D+.
The Biden program pumped $66 billion into the rail system, but the industry still had more than 10,000 incidents in 2023, including the toxic derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that is still causing health problems for residents. Energy problems center on the need for additional electricity growing faster than the national power grid.
Overall, the report said continued national investment is needed to sustain the infrastructure improvements. Biden’s investment of about $580 billion in infrastructure programs was a good start, but there still would be a gap of $4.4 trillion through 2033 to get all 18 categories in a “state of good repair” unless funding increases.
“ASCE applauds Congress, state and local policymakers and the private sector for demonstrating leadership over the past several years and prioritizing our nation’s infrastructure,” the 28-page report said. “Those investments are starting to have an impact, but our work is not yet complete.
“As decision-makers look to the future of America’s infrastructure, they should weigh the consequences of insufficient support in our most vital networks. For decades, investment at all levels of government and the private sector has failed to keep up with the increasing demands and projects necessary to reach a state of good repair. By incentivizing innovation and maintaining — or in some cases adding — investment, America will sustain recent momentum on our infrastructure systems and ensure they are built for the needs of the 21st century.”
President Donald Trump has paused several of the Biden programs for review to determine whether they meet the goals of his new administration, but ASCE officials at a media briefing Monday said they don’t expect funding to be reduced or eliminated in most areas.
“I think there really is strong financial support for infrastructure spending,” said Darren Olson, chairman of the 52-member committee that produced the report.
Kristina Swallow, a past ASCE president, said she believes infrastructure spending continues to have bipartisan support.
“You can see how the investment we made under the last administration has produced results,” she said.
Current ASCE President Feniosky Pena-Mora agreed.
“An investment in infrastructure programs is delivering benefits to our people,” he said.
The society said it is particularly important for government and private businesses to stronger build resiliency into future infrastructure programs so they can withstand increasingly powerful weather storms.
“Public safety and efficient use of public dollars are advanced by building projects that can withstand increasingly severe weather events and natural and manmade hazards,” the report said. “Therefore, the implementation of best practices for resilience when planning across a project’s intended life cycle is critical.”
The society’s Pennsylvania chapter is expected to issue its report on the state’s infrastructure next year.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.