Alex Amparo, Vice President, Critical Infrastructure and Anne Bink, Director, Mitigation and Resilience

This week, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released its 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, awarding the nation an overall grade of C. While this is the highest grade ever given, which signals progress, it is hardly cause for celebration.

Infrastructure grades range from a B in ports to a D in stormwater and transit, highlighting the stark contrasts in resilience and reliability. For the first time since 1998, no category received a D-, and eight of the 18 categories saw improvements. These advances stemmed from the public and private sectors prioritizing investment. However, a passing grade is not enough when the safety, economic vitality, and quality of life of millions depends on these systems. Notably, two categories – energy and rail – grades declined due to concerns about overall capacity, ability to meet future demand, and safety.

The Path Forward: Building Resilient Infrastructure

The ASCE emphasizes three key strategies to improve U.S. infrastructure over the next four years:  sustaining investment, prioritizing resilience, and advancing policy and innovation.

Sustaining Investment

Despite historic investments from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), infrastructure funding remains a pressing concern. The IIJA set a new benchmark for federal infrastructure spending. However, the future of these critical investments is uncertain. Reducing funding now would reverse progress and increase long-term costs for American families and businesses.

Sustainable, long-term investment strategies must be a priority at every level of government. Financing tools such as municipal bonds and public-private partnerships will be essential to closing the ASCE’s identified $3.7 trillion investment gap.

Prioritizing Resilience

Extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and severity, causing significant damage to roads, bridges, utilities, and other critical infrastructure. In 2024, 27 major U.S. disasters cost over $182 billion in damages, bringing the cumulative total since 1980 to over $2.9 trillion.

Investing in resilience is not optional; rather, it is essential. According to the report, every dollar spent on resilience and preparedness saves $13 in post-disaster recovery costs, thus reducing costs, minimizing disruptions, and protecting lives.

Critical infrastructure – including power grids, transportation, and water systems-are the backbone of our economy and daily life. Strengthening these systems against disasters and other threats ensures continuity, speeds recovery, and prevents cascading failures that can cripple communities for years.

Given the frequency and severity of disasters, it is urgent to proactively invest in infrastructure. Resilient infrastructure safeguards communities, fuels economic growth, creates jobs, and attracts businesses.

The urgency is clear. We must invest in resilient infrastructure now or pay the price later.

States, territories, tribes, and local governments must integrate resilience into pre- and post-disaster planning to ensure infrastructure investments can withstand future hazards. This means:

• Enforcing up-to-date building codes and standards to reduce vulnerability to threats and hazards.
• Incorporating life-cycle cost analysis into infrastructure projects to maximize long-term value and efficiency.
• Improving land-use planning to balance development with disaster risk mitigation.
• Taking a system-wide approach to infrastructure, recognizing the interdependencies between energy, water, transportation, and emergency management systems.
• Promoting practical, cost-effective solutions, such as green infrastructure, to strengthen communities, reduce flood risks, and improve long-term resilience.

Advancing Policy and Innovation

To make lasting progress, policymakers must embrace forward-thinking strategies that enhance infrastructure safety, efficiency, and reliability. This includes modernizing procurement processes, investing in smart technologies, and fostering innovation in materials and construction techniques.

A Call to Action

The 2025 Report Card underscores that while America’s infrastructure is improving, we cannot afford to become complacent. The federal government, states, territories, tribes, and localities must work together to ensure that every investment strengthens resilience, reduces long-term costs, and protects communities from future disruptions.

As professionals with FEMA and disaster recovery experience, we have seen firsthand the consequences of inadequate resilience planning. The solutions exist. The question is whether we have the will and funding to implement them.

With sustained investment, strategic resilience planning, and policy innovation, the public and private sectors can make additional progress and continue raising U.S. infrastructure grades. Investments in critical infrastructure are essential to protecting the welfare and economic vitality of our nation for future generations.

While it may seem like a daunting task, IEM is here to make it achievable. Our experts have a deep understanding of complex infrastructure challenges and a proven track record of delivering results. We will help you navigate resiliency planning with tailored solutions that strengthen your community and ensure long-term sustainability.

Connect with IEM’s resilience and critical infrastructure experts to strengthen your community’s future. From energy planning to mitigation strategies, we help you optimize investments, streamline recovery, and maximize opportunities presented by this universal notice. Let’s work together to build smarter, stronger, and more resilient infrastructure.