Infrastructure forms the backbone of American life.
Water systems that deliver clean drinking water, bridges and roads that connect communities, and rail networks that move goods and people must all operate safely and reliably every day.
When infrastructure fails, the consequences can be severe, ranging from structural collapses to public health crises.
The latest infrastructure report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), released on March 25, 2025, gave US infrastructure an overall grade of C. This marks the highest score since the report card was first introduced in 1998 and represents an improvement from the C- grade issued in 2021.
Published every four years, the ASCE Infrastructure Report Card evaluates the condition and performance of 18 major infrastructure categories across the United States.
These include aviation, bridges, dams, drinking water, energy, ports, rail, roads, schools, stormwater, transit, wastewater, and more.
The report uses a familiar A-to-F grading scale to assess infrastructure conditions, identify progress, and recommend areas for improvement.
Infrastructure grades show signs of progress
In the 2025 report card, eight infrastructure categories improved compared to the 2021 report, seven remained unchanged, and two categories, energy and rail, declined.
For the first time since 1998, no infrastructure category received a D- grade.
The 2025 ASCE infrastructure grades include:
- B: Ports
- B-: Rail
- C+: Broadband, Solid Waste
- C: Bridges, Hazardous Waste
- C-: Inland Waterways, Drinking Water, Public Parks
- D+: Aviation, Dams, Energy, Levees, Roads, Schools, Wastewater
- D: Stormwater, Transit
The report also marked the second consecutive appearance of the stormwater category, while broadband was added for the first time and received a relatively strong grade of C+.
According to Darren Olson, chair of ASCE’s Committee on America’s Infrastructure, the organization has helped raise public awareness about the consequences of decades of underinvestment in US infrastructure and the importance of sustained funding.
Long-term investment and resilience remain critical
Despite the improved overall grade, the report estimates that the United States still requires approximately $9.1 trillion in investment to bring all 18 infrastructure categories into good repair.
The report highlights the positive impact of recent federal legislation, particularly the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which authorized $1.2 trillion in infrastructure spending between 2022 and 2026, and the Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022.
According to ASCE, these investments are beginning to produce measurable improvements.
However, the organization emphasizes that continued long-term funding is necessary to modernize aging infrastructure systems and improve resilience against extreme weather and climate-related risks.
As climate challenges intensify and infrastructure systems continue to age, maintaining reliable, resilient, and safe infrastructure will remain essential to supporting economic growth, public safety, and quality of life across the United States.
Learn more about the 2025 ASCE Infrastructure Report Card.
Source:
Fogleson, M. (2025, March 25). Infrastructure’s upward momentum reflected in report card. ASCE. Retrieved from https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/civil-engineering-magazine/issues/magazine-issue/article/2025/03/infrastructures-upward-momentum-reflected-in-report-card
America’s Infrastructure Scores a C. ASCE. Retrieved from https://infrastructurereportcard.org/
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