ASCE infrastructure report card raises the grade for inland waterways
Written by Marine Log StaffThe American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released its 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. ASCE’s quadrennial assessment grades the condition and performance of 17 categories of infrastructure—including inland waterways locks, dams, drinking water, roads, levees, and more.
Inland waterways received a grade of D+ — a slight increase from 2017’s D grade and 2013’s D-, which was one of the lowest grades for all sectors that year. 2021’s higher grade reflects the reversal of chronic under-investment in the inland waterways, more purposeful and efficient planning by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the 2014 increase in the diesel fuel tax, and higher Operations & Maintenance funding that has resulted in a reduction of unscheduled lock outages.
America’s overall infrastructure GPA is a C- on this year’s report card.