While the nation’s infrastructure earned a C- in the 2021 Infrastructure Report Card, Massachusetts faces infrastructure challenges of its own. For example, driving on roads in need of repair in Massachusetts costs each driver $620 per year, and 9% of bridges are rated structurally deficient. Drinking water needs in Massachusetts are an estimated $12.2 billion. 328 dams are considered to be high-hazard potential. The state’s schools have an estimated capital expenditure gap of $1.39 billion. This deteriorating infrastructure impedes Massachusetts’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, Massachusetts, and families can no longer afford.
Aviation
9 major airports
Bridges
5,233 bridges, 9% of which were structurally deficient in 2019
Dams
328 high hazard dams
Drinking Water
$12.2 billion total drinking water need over 20 years
Energy
823 outages between 2008 and 2017
Hazardous Waste
40 Superfund sites
Inland Waterways
90 miles of inland waterways
Levees
48 miles of levees protect $4.9 billion of property.
Public Parks
$244,457,125 in deferred park maintenance
Ports
1 major water port
Rail
1,057 miles of rail across the state
Roads
25% of roads are in poor condition. Each motorist pays $620 per year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair
Schools
$1.39 billion gap in estimated school capital expenditures.
Solid Waste
8,059,630 tons of municipal solid waste
Stormwater
$5.80 average monthly fee
Transit
407.1 million passenger trips in 2018
Wastewater
$8.4 billion 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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