Texas Infrastructure Earns 'C' Grade: Report Highlights Declines in Water and Transit

Overall Infrastructure Performance

• 📉 The American Society of Civil Engineers' 2025 infrastructure report card gives Texas an overall grade of C, signifying mediocre performance that requires attention.

Areas of Improvement

• ✈️ Aviation infrastructure received a B grade, an improvement from the previous report, with airfield infrastructure remaining good overall.
• 🛣️ Highways and Roads saw an improvement to a C-minus, with 90% of roads paved, though traffic congestion is a growing concern.

Declining Infrastructure Categories

• 💧 Drinking water infrastructure is now at a D+, with a significant increase in public water systems limiting water use and a doubling of boil water advisories since 2020.
• 🚆 Transit also declined to a D+, indicating poor, at-risk, and mostly below-standard conditions.
• ⚡ Other categories such as energy and solid waste also experienced declines.

Challenges and Future Concerns

• 🚗 While aviation improved, capacity remains a problem due to Texas's continued growth, requiring airport revamps for terminals, parking, and ground transportation.
• 🚦 Traffic congestion spiked by 7% since 2021, with six of the state's top 10 most congested highways located in Houston, and forecasters predict it will worsen.
• ⚠️ The report card's findings are particularly relevant as lawmakers are currently in session.