US infrastructure improves, but cuts may imperil progress, report says
But that progress could stagnate if those investments, some of which were put on hold after President Donald Trump took office in January, aren't sustained.
Overall, the group gave the nation's infrastructure a C grade, a mediocre rating but the best the country has received since the group's first report card in 1998. Most infrastructure, including aviation, waterways and schools, earned a C or D grade; ports and rail did better. The group also projected a $3.7 trillion infrastructure funding shortfall over the next decade.
'The report card demonstrates the crucial need for the new administration and Congress to continue sustained investment in infrastructure,' Darren Olson, the chair of the society's committee on America's infrastructure, said on a call with reporters. 'Better infrastructure is an efficient investment of taxpayer dollars that results in a stronger economy and prioritizes American jobs.'
The report, which is now released every four years, has long noted that the United States spends too little on infrastructure. But that started to change in 2021, the group said, thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which authorized $1.2 trillion in funding under President Joe Biden. That investment is showing results, with grades having improved since the last report, in 2021, for nearly half the 18 categories that the group tracks.
But in January, Trump froze much of the funding under that law and another aimed at addressing climate change, pending a review by his agencies. That halted a variety of programs, including those intended to help schools, farmers and small businesses.
The engineering group expressed optimism that the federal spending would ultimately continue because it benefited most Americans and enjoyed bipartisan support.
'The investment levels that we saw under the last administration have really started to move the needle, and we're looking forward to advancing that conversation as we move into this administration,' said Kristina Swallow, a former president of the group.
The nation's ports received the highest grade of any form of infrastructure, a B, indicating that they are generally safe, reliable and in good condition. Rail received a B-, a decline from its B in 2021.
Bridges, broadband, drinking water systems, hazardous waste treatment, inland waterways, public parks and solid waste received grades of C+, C or C-, reserved for infrastructure that is in mediocre condition and needs attention. Dams, levees, roads, schools and infrastructure for aviation, energy, stormwater, transit and wastewater received grades of D+ or D, indicating that they are in poor condition.
Some aviation infrastructure is widely considered outdated, and the Federal Aviation Administration has faced a shortage of air traffic controllers for years. Energy was the only category besides rail that received a declining grade, to D+. The group said power plants and other sources of electricity had failed to keep up with rising demand from electric vehicles and artificial intelligence.
'Each data center uses the same amount of energy needed to power 80,000 homes,' said Otto Lynch, an engineer who led the energy chapter of the report. 'Our generation capacity has remained stagnant as new sources are merely replacing sources like coal that have been retired in recent years.'
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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