Energy infrastructure systems have received significant attention, with Texas emerging as a leader in renewable energy production, meeting demands as the population continues to grow. Conversely, the wastewater and levee networks need additional support as the population grows and to withstand increased severe weather events. Civil engineers graded aviation (B-), bridges (B-), dams (D+), drinking water (C-), energy (B+), flood risk mitigation (C-), levees (D), public parks & recreation (C-), highways & roads (D+), solid waste (B), transit (B-) and wastewater (D).
“The ASCE Texas Infrastructure Report Card is a critical tool as we assess our needs and measure progress in actively building Texas into a better place to live, work, and raise a family,” said Representative Dennis Paul, PE. “We must continue to work together with all levels of government, community leaders, industry partners, and universities, using this invaluable resource to help keep us better informed about the issues facing Texas.”
Energy infrastructure received the highest grade of a ‘B+,’ with advancements in wind, oil, and gas infrastructure helping maintain the state’s reputation as a leading energy producer and provider. There were several notable successes among the transportation sector as well. The Lone Star State has accommodated significant population growth through meaningful attention to its aviation (B-), bridges (B-), and transit (B-) sectors. Texas is a critical aviation hub for the nation’s domestic and international passenger travel and air freight — boarding 90 million passengers and moving 5.8 million tons of cargo in 2019 alone. Providing 1.1 million jobs and contributing $41.8 billion to local payrolls, the aviation industry delivers an overall economic impact of $130 billion to the state’s economy.
On the ground, Texas maintains the largest bridge inventory in the nation at nearly 57,000 bridge structures with 737 million vehicle crossings a day. Despite significant usage, Texas’ network boasts the smallest percentage (1.3 percent) of structurally deficient bridges in the nation. In 2018, the Texas Department of Transportation classified 82 percent of bridges as “good” condition or better, and zero crashes occurred due to poor bridge conditions. Public transportation continues to experience significant innovations, including Austin Cap Metro’s recently approved $7-billion program known as Project Connect, which will add Light Rail and Bus Rapid Transit.
Wastewater and levees received the lowest grades in the report, each earning a ‘D.’ Texas wastewater infrastructure is facing a funding shortfall of more than $200 million, and the number of sanitary sewer overflows has more than doubled in the last four years, increasing from 2,500 to almost 6,000. Levees and dams are each hindered by a lack of condition data and insufficient resources to ensure these structures are able to protect local communities and residents. More than 1 million Texans and $127 billion dollars’ worth of property are protected by systems of levees — manmade structures that provide hurricane, storm, and flood protection. Texas has yet to establish a state levee program to begin building a clearer picture of the 327 levee systems extending a combined 567 miles.
A noteworthy grade improvement, flood risk mitigation received a ‘C-,’ marking a grade jump from the steady improvement over the previous four report cards (‘D-‘ in 2004 and 2008 and ‘D’ in 2012 and 2017). Texas has had the most weather-related deaths in the U.S. over the last five years. Since Hurricane Harvey, the state legislature has secured resources for flood mitigation and preparing systems for the omnipresent threat of severe weather impacts.
“In this Report Card, our Committee of strong civil engineers and leaders, has succeeded in describing the current condition of our infrastructure, predicted funding needs, identified our state of preparedness and resilience, and attempted to anticipate how the current extraordinary global setting affected their analysis and predictions,” said Mark K. Boyd, Ph.D., PE, DWRE, M.ASCE, Chair, ASCE Texas Section Infrastructure Report Card Committee.
The Report Card was created as a public service to citizens and policymakers to inform them of the infrastructure needs in their state. Civil engineers used their expertise and school report card-style letter grades to condense complicated data into an easy-to-understand analysis of Texas’ infrastructure network.
