While the nation’s infrastructure earned a C- in the 2021 Infrastructure Report Card, Arkansas faces infrastructure challenges of its own. For example, driving on roads in need of repair in Arkansas costs each driver $671 per year, and 4.9% of bridges are rated structurally deficient. Drinking water needs in Arkansas are an estimated $7.4 billion. 193 dams are considered to be high-hazard potential. The state’s schools have an estimated capital expenditure gap of $350 million. This deteriorating infrastructure impedes Arkansas’s ability to compete in an increasingly global marketplace. Success in a 21st-century economy requires serious, sustained leadership on infrastructure investment at all levels of government. Delaying these investments only escalates the cost and risks of an aging infrastructure system, an option that the country, Arkansas, and families can no longer afford.
Aviation
6 major airports
Bridges
12,902 bridges, 4.9% of which were structurally deficient in 2019
Dams
193 high hazard dams
Drinking Water
$7.4 billion total drinking water need over 20 years
Energy
296 outages between 2008 and 2017
Hazardous Waste
17 Superfund sites
Inland Waterways
1,860 miles of inland waterways
Levees
1,593 miles of levees protect $53.1 billion of property.
Public Parks
$42,599,845 in deferred park maintenance
Ports
3 major water ports
Rail
2,505 miles of rail across the state
Roads
31% of roads are in poor condition. Each motorist pays $671 per year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair
Schools
$350 million gap in estimated school capital expenditures.
Solid Waste
3,250,562 tons of municipal solid waste
Stormwater
$4.63 average monthly fee
Transit
5.9 million passenger trips in 2018
Wastewater
$715 million in wastewater needs
Smart investment will only be possible with strong leadership, decisive action, and a clear vision for our nation’s infrastructure.
If the United States is serious about achieving an infrastructure system fit for the future some specific steps must be taken, beginning with increased, long-term, consistent investment.
We must utilize new approaches, materials, and technologies to ensure our infrastructure can withstand or quickly recover from natural or man-made hazards.
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