Autodesk CEO Andrew Anagnost discusses addressing poor infrastructure grades in America with Claman Countdown.
The American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE) released its latest report on the health of U.S. infrastructure.
ASCE report card for American infrastructureWe used the Aff School report card format to score infrastructure released every four years, and the infrastructure was overall a C. The C grade is the highest national infrastructure grade ever, dating back to the launch of ASCE report cards in 1998.
Although ASCE noted that infrastructure investments approved as part of the bipartisan infrastructure law contributed to its improvement, ASCE warned that the investment gap between the current infrastructure investment plan and what is needed to acquire the country's infrastructure in a good labor order is rising. The gap has grown from $2.59 trillion four years ago to $3.7 trillion this year.
“Every American household or business is quickly feeling the impact of one inefficiency or failure in our built environment,” said Darren Olson, ASCE's 2025 Report Card Chair. “But if you keep your investments, you can save $700 a year for each American household. A better infrastructure is an efficient investment in taxpayer dollars, which will lead to a stronger economy and prioritize American work, resilience and connectivity.”
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Transit Infrastructure received a D grade in ASCE research. (Photographer: Getty Images/Gabby Jones via Getty Images/Bloomberg)
According to ASCE grade structure, Layer B performance is considered “good and appropriate for now”, while Layer C is considered “mortal, needing attention”, and Layer D is considered “poor and at risk”. None of the awards were awarded in this year's edition, but the grades are “exceptional and future-friendly,” while the F grade is “failed/critical and unsuitable for purpose.”
In the 2025 report, grades ranged from B to D, and for the first time since 1998, there was no category to win a D-grade. Of the 18 rated infrastructure categories, eight have been improved from the 2021 report, but this year's edition received two grades.
Port scored the highest score in AB in B after improving from the previous report, but the B grade was awarded to rail infrastructure, which represented a decline four years ago.
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Broadband and solid waste infrastructures received C+ grades each. Bridges and hazardous waste received C grade. Drinking water, parks and inland waterways all received C grades. Among the categories with grades in the C range, hazardous waste, inland waterways and parks showed improved grades compared to the 2021 report.
ASCE has given D+ grades to aviation, dams, energy, levees, roads, schools and wastewater infrastructure. Although energy infrastructure grades have declined from four years ago, the report found dams, levees and roads deserve improved results in this year's report. The stormwater and transport infrastructure received D grade, which represents improvements since 2021 in the case of transport.
Aviation infrastructure received D+ grade. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)/Getty Images)
The ASCE report assessed the funding gap between needs and funds offered in 18 infrastructure categories over 2024-2033 based on deferred maintenance needs. The estimated funding gap across all infrastructure categories has accumulated over that period to $3.689 trillion.
Among the more problematic infrastructure categories worthy of D-range performance, wastewater and stormwater combined the largest funding gap of $690 billion, closely followed by roads with a gap of $68.4 billion. Energy Infrastructure's $578 billion gap was the third largest category in the D tier category, followed by schools ($429 billion), dams ($166 billion), transport ($152 billion), aviation ($113 billion), and Levees ($91 billion).
Among the B and C tier infrastructure categories, the bridge had the largest funding gap at $373 billion, followed by $390 billion in drinking water.
Most of the remaining infrastructure categories had a funding gap estimated at under $44 billion. According to an ASCE analysis, broadband had a $61 billion need funding between 2024 and 2033, so there was no funding gap.
Road received a D+ grade in the report. (Photographer: Getty Images/Alison Joyce via Getty Images/Bloomberg)
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Ahead of the next report in four years, ASCE said to improve the infrastructure grade in America, “despite recent resources that slow the growth of the infrastructure gap in America, it is necessary to invest,” ASCE said.
ASCE said Congress should maintain investment levels under the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Employment Act (IIJA) if the deadline expires next year, and should fully fund the accreditation program during the expenditure process. The group urged federal, state and local governments to expand the use of public-private partnerships for appropriate projects and find ways to leverage additional funding tools.
Congress was also required to ensure long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund, which is expected to run out in 2028, ensuring that clean basins and drinking water state revolving funds do not experience losses in revenue.
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ASCE added that project owners should consider lifecycle costs to get the most value through planning, funding, construction, operations, maintenance and decommissioning of the project. Meanwhile, infrastructure owners and operators need to generate the revenue they need to cover these costs.
“Infrastructure owners and operators must charge fees that reflect the true costs of using, maintaining and improving the infrastructure. They need to educate the public about the actual costs of providing these services.
