Mediocre grade for Washington’s major infrastructure
May 21, 2013, 3:55 PM | Updated: 5:18 pm
A new report card by the American Society of Civil Engineers report card gives low grades to Washington state's bridges and other infrastructure(MyNorthwest.com file photo)
(MyNorthwest.com file photo)
If there was a detention for states, Washington would be in it for our crumbling infrastructure.
A new report card by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gives us a C for “lack of planned funding and inadequate maintenance.”
The report follows a study of the state’s infrastructure from civil engineers across nine categories.
“We cannot hope to have an A+ economy, with a C-level infrastructure,” said James Chae, president of the Seattle Section.
Roads got a D+ grade because they’re 50 to 60 years old and struggling under increased traffic. The report also referred to a backlog of paving on highways and county roads.
ASCE gave transit a D+ grade for not keeping up with expansion and maintenance.
Bridges did just slightly better with a C- grade, with 36 percent of our state’s 400 structures past their design life of 50 years.
Water systems and rail were also given C- grades. Aviation, schools, and solid waste were mediocre with C grades.
Dams earned the highest grade in the report card with a B, but the report says nearly 40 percent of Washington’s dams are categorized as “significant or high hazard.”
