The National League of Cities (NLC) recently released its annual "State of the Cities" report. It shows that American mayors are focused on economic recovery through and urgent infrastructure projects while federal funding dips.

 

The report shows that infrastructure is an important economic issue facing local leaders as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal plans are nearing the end of their lifeline. Only 25% of city leaders report being very prepared for natural disasters or infrastructure emergencies.

Further, the top challenges facing infrastructure projects are material costs, labor fees, and capital budgets falling short. In March, the American Society of Civil Engineers released a report card regarding infrastructure which shows an overall grade of C for the nation's infrastructure - with eight categories marking improved grades, seven staying the same, and two falling. The report added a broadband category since the pandemic highlighted the need for reliable internet.


"The trend is in the right direction," said Darren Olson, P.E., BC.WRE, M.ASCE, the chair of ASCE's Committee on America's Infrastructure, "I think we've been very successful since (1998) in working with our elected officials to talk to them about how poor the condition of our country's infrastructure had gotten after decades of underinvestment and just how important it [is] - whether you talk about the public welfare, our national economy, public safety - to invest in [it]."