ASCE Report Card for America’s Infrastructure
Every 4 years, the ASCE committee on America’s Infrastructure, made up of 52 engineers from across the country, come together to produce a report card to evaluate the state of American Infrastructure. 18 different categories are evaluated, ranging from roads and bridges to drinking water and airports. ASCE’s 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, released March 25th, assessed U.S. infrastructure with an overall C grade, an improvement from 2021’s C-.
The 2025 Report Card found three overarching trends affecting infrastructure:
Aging infrastructure systems are increasingly vulnerable to natural disasters and extreme weather events, creating unexpected and often avoidable risks to public safety and the economy. The report highlights the importance in sustainable investments to design for future challenges.
Recent federal and state investments have had a positive impact, but the full force of increased funding will take years to realize. Sustained investment is key to providing certainty and ensuring planning goes to development, as well as making larger infrastructure projects attainable. While investments such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act have provided much-needed funding for many projects, demands on infrastructure systems continue to intensify.
Unreliable or unavailable data on key performance indicators continues to impact certain infrastructure sectors. Sectors like school facilities, broadband, energy, levees, stormwater, and public parks continue to lack extensive public data. Robust information on asset conditions, capacity, operations, safety, or resilience enables proactive public discussion on infrastructure.
Ultimately, the report aims to educate the public as well as policymakers, highlighting the importance and urgency of keeping America running.
ASCE Report Card for Pennsylvania’s Infrastructure
Members of the American Society of Civil Engineers volunteered to produce the 2022 Report Card on Pennsylvania’s Infrastructure. This report serves to educate the public on the status of the infrastructure in the Commonwealth. Residents, in conjunction with elected officials, can therefore better prioritize limited funding among competing, connected needs to improve the condition, capacity, operations, maintenance, safety, and resilience of infrastructure.
Overall, Pennsylvania’s infrastructure gets a ‘C-’, the same as the 2018 report card. Progress is real, but challenges remain. Pennsylvania has some of the oldest infrastructure in the country. Substantial maintenance backlogs have accrued in several areas as recent investment runs into new challenges such as inflation and resiliency to withstand climate change.
Interested in helping with the next PA Report Card?
The Section Report Card Committee is currently looking for volunteers to assist in researching and writing the 18 categories covered in the report card.
If you are interested in either leading or assisting in one of the categories listed below, express interest using the “Sign Up” Button!
