The following post summarizes the article entitled “‘It doesn’t have to be like this:’ The ASCE infrastructure report card as a resilience tool before disaster strikes,” authored by Ben Walpole, Aff.M.ASCE and Matt Fogleson, and published in the ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers, Civil Engineering Source online magazine.
The article discusses the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, led by Darren Olson. The report card is a tool for assessing and advocating for infrastructure resilience before disasters strike. Olson’s phrase, “It doesn’t have to be like this,” reflects his belief that proactive infrastructure investment can prevent costly failures. He cites past disasters such as the Interstate 35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis in 2007, Hurricane Harvey floods in Houston in 2017, and wildfires in Los Angeles in 2025, emphasizing that these events could have been mitigated with better planning and investment.
Olson argues that infrastructure resilience is most effective when it is proactive, with funding and design decisions made before disasters occur rather than in response. He points out that infrastructure failures often capture headlines and attract public attention, but it is more beneficial to invest in resilient infrastructure proactively to prevent such failures. The ASCE 2025 Report Card, set to be launched in Washington, D.C., on March 25th, aims to comprehensively assess U.S. infrastructure, assigning grades to overall infrastructure and 18 individual sectors.
David Gamez, who chaired ASCE’s 2025 Alaska Infrastructure Report Card, highlights the distinct challenges of constructing infrastructure in Alaska, including earthquakes, snow, avalanches, rain, and thawing permafrost. The report card assigned Alaska’s infrastructure a grade of C, underscoring the necessity for long-term planning, preventative maintenance, durable materials, and climate-adaptive designs to ensure that infrastructure can endure Alaska’s extreme weather and natural hazards.
Gamez highlights the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Anchorage in November 2018 as an example of how infrastructure resilience can significantly impact. The lessons learned from the devastating 1964 Good Friday earthquake resulted in stringent building codes and a strong emphasis on seismic design, leading to less damage and no catastrophic failures or loss of life during the 2018 earthquake. This illustrates that infrastructure investment and resilience are not merely concepts to advocate for but concrete goals that can enhance public safety and welfare.
Jennifer Gora, an aviation professional in Minnesota who serves on the Committee on America’s Infrastructure, discusses the importance of communication in fostering infrastructure resilience. She notes that the ASCE Report Card for America’s Infrastructure is an excellent tool for communication among engineers, elected officials, and the general public. Gora emphasizes how the report card helps agencies share information and best practices, resulting in better project outcomes and innovative solutions.
In summary, the article “‘It doesn’t have to be like this:’ The ASCE infrastructure report card as a resilience tool before disaster strikes” emphasizes the need to combat climate risks through proactive infrastructure planning and investment. The ASCE 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure is vital for evaluating infrastructure conditions, promoting resilience, and facilitating communication among professional engineers, elected officials, and the general public.
© 2025 American Society of Civil Engineers.
(Source: https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/article/2025/03/14/it-doesnt-have-to-be-like-this-the-asce-infrastructure-report-card-as-a-resilience-tool-before-disaster-strikes)
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