We all remember the feeling of getting a report card in school, whether it be the excitement of receiving an A or the sinking feeling of seeing a D or an F. 

For more than 20 years, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has given the United States a report card with grades for various infrastructure categories. The last report card, released in 2021, saw the U.S. score at a D or lower in 11 of 17 categories. 

This highlights the gravity of America’s aging infrastructure problems. But with problems come opportunities for improvement. 

Let’s look at several problems caused by aging infrastructure in the United States, and how these problems can be addressed. 

What is Aging Infrastructure? 

Aging infrastructure is a broad term that includes all types of outdated or “past-due” infrastructure. This includes large-scale infrastructure such as aging buildings, roads, or water and wastewater systems, as well as more specific areas including hazardous waste and broadband infrastructure. 

Aging infrastructure is, of course, caused by time. Different types of infrastructure have different lifespans, and much of the infrastructure in the United States is considered past-due. But infrastructure may also age due to other factors, such as extreme weather events or increased demand. For example, as the population increases, systems like energy grids or water services may not be able to keep up, leading to an increased need for maintenance or modernization. 

5 Aging Infrastructure Problems

1. Increased Safety Risks

Americans rely on infrastructure every day — from the buildings they work in to the internet that powers the computers at their workplace. As infrastructure ages, it can become a safety hazard, and that’s a critical issue that, in the most serious cases, can put lives at risk. 

A single aging infrastructure system can pose safety hazards on its own, such as an aging water system that leads to pipe bursts or water contamination. But these effects can be multiplied when multiple infrastructure systems are affected at once, such as in the event of natural disasters. In this case, simultaneous damage to or failure of aging buildings, electric grids, and water infrastructure can result in potentially catastrophic consequences. 

2. Negative Economic Impacts

Just as Americans rely on infrastructure in their everyday lives, the U.S. economy is heavily reliant on infrastructure. Aging transportation infrastructure, such as roads, rails, ports, and aviation, has resulted in billions of dollars in lost economic productivity yearly, per the Council on Foreign Relations.  

The economic effects of aging infrastructure are directly felt by American households. According to the ASCE’s 2020 Failure to Act report, American households will spend an additional $3,300 per year due to aging infrastructure problems, such as sitting in congested traffic, power outages, or water main breaks, over the next 20 years. 

3. High Maintenance Costs

Over 80% of buildings in the United States were built before 2000, meaning most of the buildings in the country require frequent maintenance and repairs. This can put a significant financial burden on business owners — and deferring these maintenance needs can only worsen the issues and increase the repair costs. In fact, industry benchmarks indicate that the cost of deferred maintenance compounds by 7% yearly. 

4. Environmental Hazards

Aging infrastructure can also have environmental impacts that can snowball into safety hazards and accelerate greenhouse gas emissions. In some cases, the environmental consequences can be significant and devastating — aging electrical infrastructure contributed to the 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history. 

In other cases, the environmental effects can be long-term. For example, aging buildings that have poor insulation or outdated HVAC systems have higher CO2 emissions than modern, energy-efficient buildings. This not only negatively impacts the environment, but also raises energy bills. 

5. Outdated Building Codes and Compliance Issues

Aging buildings may also need updates to ensure compliance with building codes and safety standards. Being out of code isn’t just a matter of compliance; it’s also a matter of safety. For example, buildings that don’t meet current electrical code may be at an increased risk of electrical fire, equipment damage or malfunction, or other serious hazards. 

Solving Aging Infrastructure Problems 

While the aging infrastructure problems in the U.S. are widespread, there is good news. While the scores of the ASCE’s latest report card indicate the need for improvement, the overall grade is trending in the right direction. The C- grade was the first time in 20 years that the U.S. scored above a D+. 

Additionally, recent legislation has been aimed at addressing the dire need to modernize infrastructure across the country, and many new infrastructure projects are underway — over 56,000 projects across all 50 states as of May 2024. 

At an individual level, businesses can also take a proactive approach to addressing aging building issues by performing routine preventative maintenance. This is a great way to identify areas that need maintenance or repair before they become serious or more costly. 

With the next ASCE report card scheduled to be released in March 2025, the effect of these projects on the U.S. infrastructure grade will be known soon. 

How Crescent Electric Can Help

With so many infrastructure projects underway, and more to come, this is a critical time for contractors to seize hold of the available opportunities to modernize U.S. infrastructure. And we’re here to help. 

Find the products you need for your next job, either at your local Crescent branch or online. Plus, take advantage of our industry-leading services, including Project Management and wire and cable services, to help boost the productivity and efficiency of your projects! 

For more information on how we can help support your infrastructure projects, check out our Modernization and Aging Assets page today!