Texas Infrastructure Gets a ‘C’

The American Society of Civil Engineers rates states in 16 categories related to transportation, water, waste management, parks, and more.

1 minute read

February 25, 2025, 6:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Aerial view of Pennybacker Bridge in Austin, Texas. Bridge over river with orange arches and downtown Austin visible in far background.

Less than 2 percent of Texas bridges are listed in poor condition, the third lowest rate in the nation, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. | Raymond / Adobe Stock

A report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) rates much of Texas’s infrastructure as ‘mediocre’ or ‘poor.’ The 2025 report includes assessments of 16 categories including the newly added broadband, hazardous waste, ports, and rail.

According to an article for KSAT by Mason Hickok, “Of the sixteen categories, Texas received an overall grade of C, with 14 of the categories reflecting C+/- and D+/- grades.” The national average is a C-. Categories that received D grades in Texas are broadband, dams, drinking water, transit, levees, and wastewater. Aviation and bridges received B and B- grades, respectively.

“ASCE believes the stressors have been ‘balanced out’ by investments at the federal level coupled with state and local measures,” but federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act could now be in jeopardy.

The report concludes with some recommendations: continued investment in infrastructure, “sound policy and standards that ensure safety, efficiency, and reliability for projects,” reviews and modernization of engineering standards, and asset management and planning.

Monday, February 24, 2025 in KSAT

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