New Jersey’s 2016 Infrastructure Report Card from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is in, and if we were New Jersey we’d put a couple of pillows in our back pockets before bringing this report card home…
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In all seriousness, this is very bad. The American Society of Civil Engineers is the nation’s oldest engineering society and has over 150,000 members. In other words, they know a thing or two about infrastructure, and what they see in New Jersey isn’t good.

When New Jersey’s infrastructure was last evaluated in 2007, the state achieved a composite infrastructure grade of C- grading only 7 categories. The 2016 grade point average is a D+ grading more infrastructure statewide.

ASCE

And these aren’t just imaginary numbers. New Jerseyans live with these poor grades whenever we hit a pothole, whenever we have to detour around a closed bridge, whenever our lights go out in a storm, and whenever our basements fill with water.

Our state’s economic well-being and our enviable way of life will be in jeopardy if we do not meet these public policy challenges head on and with a realistic and well-informed vision of our infrastructure’s future. Failure to do so will inevitably lead to an erosion of the services we take for granted.

ASCE

The ASCE has a three step plan to start raising the grades:

  1. Fix the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund
  2. Keep rebuilding resilient infrastructure
  3. Better infrastructure starts with better choices.

Sounds like a plan. Please share with your family and friends and let your legislators know that you want better grades.
Click here to see the 2-page summary
2016 ASCE Infrastructure Report Card NJ Brochure

 
Click here to see the full report
2016 ASCE Infrastructure Report Card NJ Full Report