“Even though Oregon’s grade remained the same since the last Report Card, there have been positive steps forward to improve the resiliency of Oregon’s infrastructure and ensure those systems are capable of handling potential earthquakes, the consequences of climate change, and other hazards,” said Ana Tijerina Esquino, Chair of the 2024 Report Card for Oregon’s Infrastructure. “While Oregon’s infrastructure is seeing benefits from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other short-term funding programs, leaders at all levels need to ensure those systems have reliable, consistent, and sustainable funding to ensure they remain safe and reliable in the future.”
“President Biden is the first president in my lifetime committed to rebuilding and renewing America. Oregon is reaping the benefits: we’ve received a gusher of federal funding for everything from revitalizing Lower Albina to the I-5 Bridge Replacement, increased broadband, and the electrification of our transportation system,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D – OR-03). “This is just the beginning. We must build on these investments to realize a low-carbon, equitable future.”
Oregon’s roads received a ‘C’ grade, while bridges received a ‘C-’, both of which are a one-step grade decrease from the 2019 Report Card. The percentage of state highways in poor condition grew from 10 percent in the 2019 Report Card to 12 percent in the 2024 Report Card. During the same time, the number of roads in good condition decreased from 65 percent to 58 percent. Oregon has made some progress in reducing the number of bridges in poor condition from 5.2 percent to 4.8 percent. However, there is a growing number of bridges that have been downgraded from good to fair condition. Many bridges in Oregon are also close to or exceeding their design life, with 53 percent of bridges in the state more than 50 years old. Current funding levels for bridge maintenance provide about half the projected need to keep the state’s bridges in their current condition. While the “Keep Oregon Moving” law passed in 2017 has funded more than 140 transportation projects over the last few years, the state anticipates 2024 is the final year the state will see an increase in gas tax revenues which help fund road and bridge construction, and the Oregon Department of Transportation anticipates having a $720 million budget deficit by 2027 unless long-term funding solutions are put in place.
Oregon’s drinking water grade increased from a ‘C-’ to a ‘C’ in the 2024 Report Card. More than 99 percent of the state’s drinking water systems meet standards for safe drinking water set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, more than 400,000 Oregonians rely on private water sources like wells which are largely unregulated. As water systems prepare for a new rule that requires the removal of lead service lines, the EPA estimates Oregon has approximately 3,350 lead water service lines, which is 0.04 percent of all lines in the state. That number is low because many of Oregon’s water pipes were installed in the last 50 years when utilities started using other materials for water service lines. However, other parts of the state’s water infrastructure are much older and will need to be replaced or upgraded to meet current needs. Additionally, water utilities also face new costs as they comply with rules requiring them to monitor for dangerous forever chemicals in drinking water. The Report Card estimates Oregon’s drinking water systems need $10 billion in additional funding to ensure the state has safe and reliable drinking water.
The Oregon Report Card found that almost all infrastructure systems need improvements to their resilience to handle the effects of climate change and earthquakes. Much of the state’s infrastructure was built before modern seismic codes were adopted, which means those systems will likely see extensive damage should a large earthquake hit the state before retrofits are completed. Oregon’s dams received a ‘D+’ grade in part because nearly two-thirds of the state’s dams are more than 50 years old and are not built to withstand a strong earthquake or the stronger, more frequent flooding conditions communities are now experiencing.
Oregon’s energy infrastructure, which received a ‘C-’ grade, also has resiliency needs that must be addressed to ensure it can withstand a seismic event. The Report Card found that much of the state’s energy distribution network would also suffer extensive damage from a large earthquake, which would lead to extended outages and a prolonged recovery. While state leaders have taken steps to improve the security and resilience of the state’s energy network by developing the Oregon Energy Security Plan, the improvements to ensure the reliability and redundancy of the energy network will require a large financial investment.
The Report Card for Oregon’s Infrastructure also includes five recommendations to raise the grade.
- Secure dedicated and sustainable funding sources to ensure long-term maintenance and improvement of Oregon's infrastructure. This should focus on consistent long-term funding solutions rather than short-term influxes of money.
- Implement comprehensive resiliency measures for infrastructure systems against natural and man-made disasters. This should be a comprehensive, all-hazard assessment that evaluates the likelihood and consequences of a possible event. It should also look at mitigation strategies and address the recovery and return to service of infrastructure systems.
- Strengthen regulatory frameworks and enforcement to ensure the public safety and resiliency of critical infrastructure. This includes implementing Emergency Action Plans for high-hazard dams, Oregon Energy Security Plan recommendations, and new regulations requiring seismic vulnerability assessments and mitigations for large fuel handling facilities.
- Utilize asset management systems to optimize spending. These programs include life-cycle cost considerations, identifying and prioritizing critical system components, conducting condition assessments, and establishing operations and maintenance plans. This approach should prioritize essential repairs and replacement projects and include long-term capital budgeting.
- Address the skilled workforce shortage and increase public participation to support long-term infrastructure improvements and community engagement.
The Report Card was created as a public service to citizens and policymakers to inform them of the infrastructure needs in their state. Civil engineers use their expertise and school report card-style letter grades to condense complicated data into an easy-to-understand analysis of Oregon’s infrastructure network. ASCE State Report Cards are modeled after the national Infrastructure Report Card, which gave America’s infrastructure an overall grade of ‘C-’ in 2021. The next national Infrastructure Report Card will be released in March 2025.
Click here to view the Oregon Report Card and all 12 categories.
About the American Society of Civil Engineers
Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 160,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America's oldest national engineering society. ASCE works to raise awareness of the need to maintain and modernize the nation's infrastructure using sustainable and resilient practices, advocates for increasing and optimizing investment in infrastructure, and improve engineering knowledge and competency. For more information, visit www.asce.org or www.infrastructurereportcard.org and follow us on Twitter, @ASCETweets and @ASCEGovRel.
