The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has released its 2025 Report Card for America's Infrastructure, awarding the U.S. infrastructure an overall 'C' grade. This marks an improvement from the 'C-' grade given in 2021 and is the highest grade since ASCE began issuing its report cards in 1998. The report highlights that recent legislative efforts, such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), have contributed to progress, but significant investment is still required to address a $3.7 trillion gap between current plans and necessary improvements.
Darren Olson, Chair of the 2025 Report Card, emphasized the impact of infrastructure inefficiencies on American households and businesses: "Every American household or business immediately feels the impact of just one inefficiency or failure in our built environment." He noted that maintaining investments could save each household $700 annually.
The report evaluates 18 categories using a school-style grading system from 'A' to 'F'. New to this year's assessment is broadband, which received a 'C+' along with solid waste. Ports received the highest grade at 'B', while stormwater and transit were rated lowest at 'D'. Improvements were seen in eight categories including dams, hazardous waste, inland waterways, levees, ports, public parks, roads, and transit compared to 2021. However, energy and rail saw declines.
ASCE President Feniosky Peña-Mora remarked on the significance of sustained investments: "We have seen the difference investment can make in improving infrastructure... While this showcases that investment leads to direct results, the job is not yet done."
The report identifies three key trends affecting infrastructure: aging systems vulnerable to natural disasters; positive impacts from recent investments; and challenges due to unreliable data in certain sectors.
For more details on ASCE's findings and recommendations for U.S. infrastructure improvements, visit InfrastructureReportCard.org.
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