Texas infrastructure fares better than U.S. but needs major investment

AUSTIN – The Austin American-Statesman reports that Texas must increase its investment in water, wastewater and transit systems infrastructure, the country’s foremost society of civil engineers urged state lawmakers Tuesday when it announced Texas received a “C” grade on its 2025 report card. “Without proactive measures, we risk catastrophic failures,” Steve Ihnen, president-elect of the Austin Contractors & Engineers Association, said at a news conference at the Capitol. “Now is the time for the Legislature to invest in our children’s future.” The 161-page report rated Texas’ infrastructure slightly better than the nation’s as a whole, but it said the state government gambles with residents’ lives if it does not bolster the systems that supply drinking water, storm drainage, waste treatment and transportation to its 30 million residents. The U.S. scored a C- overall in the American Society of Civil Engineers’ most recent report.

Around 60 members of the Texas section of the engineers society reviewed policies, budgets and performance measures — like the number of gallons of water lost due to leaky pipes and the rate of pedestrian fatalities — from 2022 and 2023 to determine the 2025 rating. The report includes detailed recommendations for each of 16 categories, including aviation, bridges, broadband internet, solid waste, ports, public parks, rail and transit. Texas’ C grade, which finds that its infrastructure is “in adequate condition but needs attention,” is the same score that it received in 2021. Public infrastructure is “completely unnoticed until there’s failure, and we are looking at report cards here where we have potential failures. Such failures can cost lives,” Ihnen said. “Without proper planning and strategic funding for our public infrastructure, we could be strained to a level where there is no longer support for economic growth and opportunities here in Texas.” Texas scored best on its aviation infrastructure and bridges, with a “B” and “B-” respectively, which means “good, adequate for now.” The engineers said increased state, local and federal funding boosted Texas’ capacity at airport terminals and noted that several expansions of Austin and Houston airports will help service the exploding populations of urban areas in the state. The report also noted that Texas has the third-lowest number of bridges in poor condition of any U.S. state, thanks in part to increased public safety and inspection programs.