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Transit and stormwater once again found themselves at the bottom of the grading scale in the 2025 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Infrastructure Report Card.
The two sectors each earned a D+ grade. While this represents a modest improvement from previous years, where grades hovered at D or D-, the reality remains stark: these critical systems are underfunded, outdated, and increasingly vulnerable to the pressures of climate change and urban growth.
Why Transit and Stormwater Matter
Transit and stormwater systems are the unsung heroes of modern infrastructure. Public transit connects millions of Americans to jobs, education, and healthcare, while stormwater systems protect communities from flooding, water pollution, and infrastructure damage.
Both systems, however, have long suffered from chronic neglect.
The ASCE’s 2025 report underscores this neglect, noting that while some progress has been made, the pace of improvement is far too slow to meet the demands of a growing and changing nation.
Transit: A System Stuck in the Past
Aging Infrastructure, Declining Ridership
America’s public transit systems – buses, subways, light rail, and commuter trains – are aging rapidly. Many systems, particularly in older cities like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, rely on infrastructure that dates to the early 20th century. Deferred maintenance has led to frequent service disruptions, safety concerns, and declining reliability.
The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a further blow to transit systems, with ridership plummeting and fare revenues drying up. While ridership has rebounded somewhat in 2024 and 2025, it remains below pre-pandemic levels in many cities. This has left transit agencies struggling to balance budgets while maintaining service levels.
Funding Gaps and Political Hurdles
The ASCE estimates that the U.S. faces a $176 billion transit investment gap through 2039. While the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021 provided a historic $39 billion for public transit, experts argue that this is only a down payment on what’s truly needed.
Political will remains a major barrier. Transit funding often becomes a partisan issue, with urban systems receiving less support in federal and state legislatures dominated by rural interests. Moreover, the fragmented nature of transit governance – spread across thousands of local agencies – makes coordinated investment and planning difficult.
Stormwater: The Hidden Crisis Beneath Our Feet
Outdated Systems, Growing Threats
Stormwater infrastructure – culverts, drains, retention basins, and green infrastructure – is often invisible until it fails. And failures are becoming more common. As climate change drives more frequent and intense storms, aging stormwater systems are being overwhelmed, leading to flash floods, sewer overflows, and water contamination.
Many stormwater systems in the U.S. were designed decades ago, based on outdated rainfall models. In cities with combined sewer systems, heavy rains can cause raw sewage to overflow into rivers and streets. The ASCE notes that more than 850 billion gallons of untreated sewage are discharged annually due to combined sewer overflows.
Underinvestment and Lack of Standards
Unlike drinking water and wastewater systems, stormwater infrastructure has historically lacked dedicated funding streams. It’s often funded piecemeal through local taxes or general funds, making long-term planning difficult. The ASCE estimates a $134 billion investment gap in stormwater infrastructure over the next 20 years.
There is also no national standard for stormwater system performance, leading to wide disparities in quality and resilience. Some cities, like Philadelphia and Portland, have pioneered green infrastructure solutions – such as permeable pavements and rain gardens – but these remain the exception rather than the rule.
Signs of Progress – and Hope
Despite the grim grades, there are glimmers of progress. The IIJA included $55 billion for water infrastructure, some of which is earmarked for stormwater improvements. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also expanded its Clean Water State Revolving Fund, providing low-interest loans for stormwater projects.
In the transit sector, cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. are investing heavily in new rail lines, electric buses, and smart fare systems. These projects not only modernize infrastructure but also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.
Public awareness is also growing. As extreme weather events become more common, voters and policymakers are beginning to recognize the importance of resilient infrastructure. In 2024, several states passed bond measures to fund stormwater upgrades and transit expansions.
What Needs to Happen Next
Bold, coordinated action is needed to significantly improve the country’s transit and stormwater systems.
1. Increase and Sustain Federal Investment
Short-term funding boosts are not enough. Long-term, predictable funding for both transit and stormwater systems, with a focus on equity and climate resilience, is vital to improving these critical systems to handle modern society’s requirements.
2. Modernize Design Standards
Infrastructure must be built for the climate of the future, not the past. This means updating rainfall models, incorporating green infrastructure, and designing transit systems that are accessible, efficient, and low emission.
3. Engage the Public
Public support is crucial. Outreach campaigns that highlight the benefits of transit and stormwater investments – such as cleaner water, reduced flooding, and better mobility – can build political momentum.
GPRS offers a comprehensive suite of subsurface damage prevention, existing conditions documentation, and construction & facilities project management services designed to help keep infrastructure improvement projects on time, on budget, and safe.
We utilize state-of-the-art technology such as ground penetrating radar (GPR) scanners, electromagnetic (EM) locators, 3D laser scanners, and remote-controlled video pipe inspection crawlers to ensure the integrity of your buried infrastructure and help you avoid subsurface damage when breaking ground. Our in-house Mapping & Modeling Team can visualize the field-verified, accurate data collected by our SIM and NASSCO-certified Project Managers to suit your planning, and operations & maintenance (O&M) needs.
All this information is at you and your team’s fingertips 24/7, accessible via any computer, tablet or smartphone thanks to SiteMap® (patent pending), our project & facility management application that provides accurate existing conditions documentation to protect your assets and people.
What can we help you visualize?
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of informational output is provided when GPRS conducts a utility locate?
Our Project Managers flag and paint our findings directly on the surface. This method of communication is the most accurate form of marking when excavation is expected to commence within a few days of service.
GPRS also uses a global positioning system (GPS) to collect data points of findings. We use this data to generate a plan, KMZ file, satellite overlay, or CAD file to permanently preserve results for future use. GPRS does not provide land surveying services. If you need land surveying services, please contact a professional land surveyor. Please contact us to discuss the pricing and marking options your project may require.
What types of concrete scanning does GPRS offer?
GPRS provides two specific but different scanning services: elevated concrete slab scanning and concrete slab-on-grade locating. Elevated concrete slab scanning involves detecting embedded electrical conduits, rebar, post-tension cables, and more before core drilling a hole through the slab. Performing a concrete slab-on-grade locating service typically involves scanning a trench line for conduits before conducting saw cutting and trenching to install a sanitary pipe, water line, or something similar.
