How Can Oregon Improve Its Mediocre Infrastructure Grades?

Oregon’s infrastructure remains “mediocre,” earning a C- in the 2024 report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers. The systems, including bridges, roads, and transit, were graded from A to F. No system scored above a C, and schools were marked I for incomplete due to insufficient data.

Here are the grades:

- Aviation: C-

- Bridges: C-

- Dams: D+

- Drinking Water: C

- Energy: C-

- Inland Waterways: C

- Ports: C-

- Roads: C

- Schools: I

- Stormwater: D+

- Transit: D+

- Wastewater: D+

ASCE assessed infrastructure capacity, physical condition, funding, public safety, resilience, and innovation. The report highlights that current investment levels are insufficient for maintaining and upgrading Oregon’s aging infrastructure, which also received a C- in 2019, indicating persistent capacity issues.

“There is a significant opportunity to make resilient infrastructure investments that address capacity, condition, and climate and social goals,” the report stated. Lawmakers plan to prioritize transportation improvements in the 2025 legislative session.

Aging bridges and dams are significant concerns. Oregon’s bridges, averaging 48 years old, face high risks of deterioration, with over half of the 8,000 bridges nearing the end of their service lives. The report suggests replacing 30 bridges annually instead of the current three. Dams also pose risks, with two-thirds older than 50 years, the typical design life.

Oregon’s roads received a C, with a notable decline since 2019. The Oregon Department of Transportation faces a $720 million budget deficit by 2027. The transit system, graded D+, struggles with budget deficits, aging infrastructure, and social challenges.

To improve grades, ASCE recommends prioritizing bridge replacement, increasing funding, supporting transit-oriented development, creating sustainable funding sources for transit, and enhancing walking and biking infrastructure.