ASCE Releases 2025 Infrastructure Report Card

On March 25, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) issued the 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. Since 1998, and every four years after, ASCE has issued this comprehensive assessment of the nation’s major infrastructure systems. In general, the report card assigns letter grades for each category and uses a replicable methodology to analyze all aspects of system performance. The grade for the 2025 Report Card is a C, an upgrade from four years ago.  And for the first time since 1998, no categories were rated D-, another major improvement.

While the improved grade can be attributed to significant federal investment through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), more investment is needed. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, 90 percent of the costs of public construction is borne by state and local governments. Even though our nation’s infrastructure grade is improving, Congress is still seeking a path forward on a major tax reform bill this year that could impact the primary tool used to finance infrastructure – tax-exempt municipal bonds. It is critical that your Senators and Representatives hear from you now on the importance of preserving the tax exemption. GFOA has developed several resources to help you in your outreach at www.builtbybonds.com.