Good infrastructure is among the key elements that contributes to a high quality of life. From our roads, bridges, ports, and rail, which impact our ability to move people and cargo; to our drinking water and wastewater, which impact the health of our residents and businesses’ to our energy sources, which power our daily lives - Rhode Island’s infrastructure is essential to supporting the needs of those who call it home or are welcomed to its shores. While many Rhode Islanders might not think about infrastructure every day, Rhode Island’s civil engineer’s do! We work hard to build and maintain our infrastructure systems for the public’s health, safety, and welfare.
As a state with a significant coast line, Rhode Island must adquately invest in its critical infrastructure, such as wastewater facilities, drinking water systems, and port structures, to ensure they can protect the natural environmental and withstand sea level rise and impacts from extreme weather events. In additiona, Rhode Island has been challenged by under investment in roads and bridges, leading to structural deficiencies.
Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Report Card for America’s Infrastructure depicts the condition and performance of American infrastructure in the familiar form of a school report card—assigning letter grades based on the physical condition and needed investments for improvement.
Big and bold action from Washington, as well as continued prioritization by states and localities, is needed to bring all our infrastructure to a state of good repair. This is good news and an indication we’re headed in the right direction, but a lot of work remains.
How does RI’s Grade measure up against America’s?
ASCE’s Infrastructure Report Card provides a comprehensive assessment of current infrastructure conditions and needs, assigning grades and making recommendations to raise them. The 2017 Report Card found the national grade for infrastructure to be a D+.
Report Card 2021
ASCE’s Infrastructure Video Report Card 2021.
Engineering News-Record
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In 2016, Rhode Island approved a controversial plan to improve its poorly maintained roads and bridges.