The truth about U.S. infrastructure is that it is experiencing a slow recovery from decades of underinvestment but remains in a precarious state of "overstretched" decline
. While the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) has initiated significant improvements, resulting in a slightly improved grade of C in the 2025 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) report card, the system faces a massive $3.7 trillion investment gap over the next decade.
Here is a breakdown of the current state of U.S. infrastructure:
1. Key Performance Indicators & Grades
Overall Grade (2025): C (up from C- in 2021, and D+ in previous years).
The Funding Gap: While the BIL allocated $1.2 trillion, the total identified need to bring systems to a state of good repair is $9.1 trillion, leaving a $3.7 trillion gap.
Risks of Inaction: Failure to bridge this gap could result in a $5 trillion loss in GDP and 344,000 lost jobs by 2033.
Roads & Bridges: 39% of major roads are in poor condition. 42% of the 617,084 usable bridges are over 50 years old, with 46,000 rated "structurally deficient".
Water & Transit: Stormwater systems and transit received low D-range grades. Approximately 6 billion gallons of treated water are lost daily due to leaky pipes.
2. The Impact of New Investment
The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) has begun to address critical failures, with noticeable progress in specific areas:
Ports & Airports: These received higher grades (B and B- respectively) due to recent funding.
Equitable Distribution: BIL funds are being directed toward states with lower-rated infrastructure and lower-income levels, unlike past trends that favored wealthier states.
Disaster Resilience: The 2025 report emphasizes the need for resilience, as 27 extreme weather events in 2024 caused over $182 billion in damage.
3. International Comparison
Despite recent investments, the U.S. lags behind global peers in infrastructure quality and spending:
Rankings: The U.S. is ranked 14th out of 30 countries for sustainable infrastructure investment by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
Spending Gap: The U.S. invests significantly less as a percentage of GDP than countries like China, Indonesia, and Australia.
Rail Comparison: While China has built over 25,000 miles of high-speed rail, the U.S. has fewer than 500 miles.
4. Root Causes of Decline
Aging Systems: Much of the nation's core infrastructure was built in the mid-20th century, and the population has nearly doubled since the 1960s.
High Costs & Regulation: Projects in the U.S. often take longer and cost more due to litigation, complex permitting, and procurement rules.
Deferred Maintenance: Over decades, routine maintenance was neglected, leading to a massive, costly backlog.
Summary: The U.S. is moving from a "crumbling" state to a "rebuilding" phase, but the scale of the repairs required means that the benefits of the recent investments will take years to be fully realized.
Is the USA falling apart?