Infrastructure is all of the systems built to make our lives better and our economy more efficient. Roads, water pipes, dams, railways and much more make up the modern infrastructure you use every day. Generations of Arizonans built today’s expansive infrastructure, and our leaders are responsible for keeping it working for us today and keeping up with a growing population that uses more infrastructure. While some of Arizona’s infrastructure is relatively new, many of our systems are starting to show signs of wear across the state from aging and tight budgets that didn’t allow for the maintenance that would have expanded their useful service life.
So, how is Arizona’s infrastructure doing overall and what needs to be done? Find out in the new Report Card brochure or read the full report!
The Report Card for Arizona’s Infrastructure shows that some our state’s infrastructure needs attention both for today and the future. Many of Arizona’s grades are low Cs and on the edge of slipping into Ds - especially as the state grows.
Maintenance is the every day work you just have to do to keep things moving, and Arizona’s infrastructure needs it. Sometimes it’s all about the basics, and maintenance is the basic first step to good infrastructure.
Arizona has seen exciting new infrastructure projects over the last decade become selling points for the state and bring in new residents and businesses. New investments in critical corridors and freight connections can lead to new opportunities. Let’s keep this going!
Just like your body, infrastructure is a system. The water pipes and roads and railways are the arteries that keep the state moving so it’s worth asking – how is your area’s infrastructure doing? Just like you get a physical, infrastructure needs regular evaluations.
Arizona’s leaders have to make tough budget choices, but not using infrastructure dollars for needed projects today will lead to more expensive project costs down the road and infrastructure that hinders growth rather than supports it.
Arizona’s projected growth is both an opportunity and a challenge. It will require continued focus by the state’s leaders to adopt sustainable practices and innovate to be competitive.
Download the Report Card
Aviation
Bridges
Dams
Drinking Water
Levees
Rail
Roads
Transit
WastewaterA: Exceptional, B: Good, C: Mediocre, D: Poor, F: Failing, ?: Incomplete
Each category was evaluated on the basis of capacity, condition, funding, future need, operation and maintenance, public safety, resilience, and innovation
Bridges
238 of the 7,862 bridges are structurally deficient
Bridges
$19.50 million in bridge funds came from the Federal Highway Bridge Fund in 2011
Dams
89% of the state regulated dams have an Emergency Action Plan
Dams
108 high hazard dams
Drinking Water
$7.4 billion in drinking water infrastructure needs over the next 20 years
Energy
6.941 gigawatt-hours of renewable energy every year, ranking it 14th
Hazardous Waste
9 sites on the National Priorities List
Levees
1,293 miles of levees
Public Parks
$377.0 million of unmet needs for its parks system
Rail
10 freight railroads covering 1,683 miles across the state, ranking 36th nationally by mileage
Roads
$1.2 billion a year in costs to motorists from driving on roads in need of repair, which is $247 /yr per motorist
Roads
7,190 of the state’s 65,262 public roads are major roads, and 7% are in poor condition
Schools
$6.4 billion in estimated school infrastructure funding needs
Transit
90.3 million annual unlinked passenger trips via transit systems including bus, transit, and commuter trains
Wastewater
$5.2 billion in wastewater infrastructure needs over the next 20 years
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