The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) rated Pennsylvania’s infrastructure a C-, a new report card shows.
The 2022 Report Card on Pennsylvania’s Infrastructure outlined the status of the state’s infrastructure. Members of ASCE volunteered to help produce the report that looks at the condition, capacity, operations, maintenance, safety, and resilience of the state’s infrastructure.
Overall, ASCE rated the state’s infrastructure the same as the 2018 report card, stating that while the state has made progress, challenges remain. The state has some of the oldest infrastructure in the country, and substantial maintenance backlogs have built up in several areas as investments face challenges from inflation and a need for better resiliency.
The report gave the state’s aviation infrastructure a B-, noting upgrades like the Pittsburgh International Airport’s Terminal Modernization Program, the expansion of cargo facilities, and a focus on resiliency projects like a solar field at Northeast Philadelphia Airport. Roadway infrastructure rose to a C-, up from a D+. The report said the implementation and completion of nearly 3,800 roadway improvement projects, with nearly 3,100 additional efforts underway, helped raise the grade. However, the report said, there is an $8 billion shortfall of unmet needs. The state is expected to receive $11 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding for roadway projects, and decision-makers should prioritize safety project to reduce traffic deaths.
Under the category bridges, the state received a D, with report authors noting while the state has the ninth largest bridge inventory in the country, it also has the second highest number of poor condition bridges among the 50 states – 25 percent more than the next highest state. The report found that the $13 billion in transportation funding from the BIL will fall short of the $18 billion the state needs to address bridge conditions. The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law plans to send $3.2 billion over five years to Pennsylvania for maintenance projects in transit.
The report gave the state a C+ for ports, a C for its rail system, and a D in the transit category.