NATIONAL CAPITAL SECTION OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS INFRASTRUCTUREREPORTCARD.ORG/DISTRICT-OF-COLUMBIA ________2 2021 REPORT CARD FOR WASHINGTON, D.C.’S INFRASTRUCTURE www.infrastructurereportcard.org/district-of-columbia. Table of Contents Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... 1 About the Infrastructure Report Card ....................................................................... 2 Grading Scale ................................................................................................................ 3 2019 Report Card for Washington, D.C.’s Infrastructure ...................................... 4 Recommendations to Raise the Grade ...................................................................... 5 Infrastructure categories Bridges (B-) .......................................................................................................... 6 Drinking Water (C+) .......................................................................................... 10 Energy (C+) .........................................................................................................15 Levees (D) ...........................................................................................................22 Rail (B) .................................................................................................................28 Roads (D+) ..........................................................................................................34 Transit (D)........................................................................................................... 40 Wastewater (B-) .................................................................................................46 ________3 2021 REPORT CARD FOR WASHINGTON, D.C.’S INFRASTRUCTURE www.infrastructurereportcard.org/district-of-columbia. Executive Summary INFRASTRUCTURE: basic structures and facilities (e.g., water, roads, bridges, transit, and power) needed for the operation of a society. Infrastructure impacts you whether you see it or not. We all use infrastructure every day, but we rarely think about it until it breaks. Look around you, D.C. We’ve outgrown our grandparents’ infrastructure. Most of our infrastructure was put in place by our grandparents (and maybe even great great grandparents), and D.C. is rapidly outgrowing the systems around us and underneath us. Infrastructure can either make your life more difficult or it can be so seamless you barely notice you used it. But if you live in D.C., you’ve probably noticed it: When commutes are brutal; neighborhoods flood, or the power is out—you’ve noticed your infrastructure a lot more lately. Recommendations exist to raise every grade for D.C.’s infrastructure. Infrastructure problems are not impossible to solve. There are ways to improve each of these grades, and some solutions are already on the way. Major wastewater projects across D.C. are in progress to reduce flooding and clean up the Anacostia, critical bridges have been fixed and others have repairs in the works, levees have made modest improvements, and some of the rail system has seen network expansions. This Report Card gives you facts and grades on D.C’s core infrastructure. The Report Card shows how it all stacks up – from roads to water to levees. If you drive in D.C., if you flush a toilet in D.C., if you want infrastructure that works – this Report Card is for you. ________1 2021 REPORT CARD FOR WASHINGTON, D.C.’S INFRASTRUCTURE www.infrastructurereportcard.org/district-of-columbia. About The Report Card for Washington, D.C.’s Infrastructure While you may not think about infrastructure every day, civil engineers do because we’ve pledged to build it, maintain it, and keep the public safe. As an organization of civil engineers who live and work in D.C., we want to share what its condition is and what can be done to improve it. Methodology The purpose of the Report Card for D.C.’s Infrastructure is to inform the public and decision makers of the current condition of our state’s infrastructure in a concise and easily accessible format of a school report card. Each of the categories of infrastructure covered in the Report Card is assessed using rigorous grading criteria and recent data to provide a comprehensive assessment of the area’s infrastructure. ASCE has used the following criteria to discuss and grade the state of the infrastructure: CAPACITY Does the infrastructure’s capacity meet current and future demands? CONDITION What is the infrastructure’s existing and near-future physical condition? FUNDING What is the current level of funding from all levels of government for the infrastructure category as compared to the estimated funding need? FUTURE NEED What is the cost to improve the infrastructure? Will future funding prospects address the need? OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE What is the owners’ ability to operate and maintain the infrastructure properly? Is the infrastructure in compliance with government regulations? PUBLIC SAFETY To what extent is the public’s safety jeopardized by the condition of the infrastructure and what could be the consequences of failure? RESILIENCE What is the infrastructure system’s capability to prevent or protect against significant multi-hazard threats and incidents? How able is it to quickly recover and reconstitute critical services with minimum consequences for public safety and health, the economy, and national security? INNOVATION What new and innovative techniques, materials, technologies, and delivery methods are being implemented to improve the infrastructure? ________2 2021 REPORT CARD FOR WASHINGTON, D.C.’S INFRASTRUCTURE www.infrastructurereportcard.org/district-of-columbia. GRADING SCALE EXCEPTIONAL: FIT FOR THE FUTURE The infrastructure in the system or network is generally in excellent condition, typically new or recently rehabilitated, and meets capacity needs for the future. A few elements show signs of general deterioration that require attention. Facilities meet modern standards for functionality and are resilient to withstand most disasters and severe weather events. GOOD: ADEQUATE FOR NOW The infrastructure in the system or network is in good to excellent condition; some elements show signs of general deterio- ration that require attention. A few elements exhibit significant deficiencies. Safe and reliable with minimal capacity issues and minimal risk. MEDIOCRE: REQUIRES ATTENTION The infrastructure in the system or network is in fair to good condition; it shows general signs of deterioration and requires attention. Some elements exhibit significant deficiencies in conditions and functionality, with increasing vulnerability to risk. POOR: AT RISK The infrastructure is in poor to fair condition and mostly below standard, with many elements approaching the end of their service life. A large portion of the system exhibits significant deterioration. Condition and capacity are of significant con- cern with strong risk of failure. FAILING/CRITICAL: UNFIT FOR PURPOSE The infrastructure in the system is in unacceptable condition with widespread advanced signs of deterioration. Many of the F components of the system exhibit signs of imminent failure. ________3 2021 REPORT CARD FOR WASHINGTON, D.C.’S INFRASTRUCTURE www.infrastructurereportcard.org/district-of-columbia. G.P.A. 2021 Washington, D.C.’s Infrastructure Report Card BRIDGES RAIL DRINKING WATER ROADS ENERGY TRANSIT LEVEES WASTEWATER ________4 2021 REPORT CARD FOR WASHINGTON, D.C.’S INFRASTRUCTURE www.infrastructurereportcard.org/district-of-columbia. Recommendations to Raise the Grade 1. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND LOOK AHEAD: Grades are improving for sectors that procure and generate sufficient funding, perform timely expansion or rehabilitation efforts, and invest in innovative and resilient approaches to provide service to the public. These efforts should continue and look ahead for ways to improve efficiency and affordability. 2. EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON TRUE COST OF INFRASTRUCTURE: Many infrastructure owners can determine their own needs and set user fees, but a sustained educational effort should be made to inform users of fee changes. The public’s willingness to finance new or upgraded infrastructure through changes to their user fees is critical, especially when significant investment is needed. User fees should reflect the true cost of using, maintaining, and improving infrastructure. 3. MAKE THE INVESTMENT: Smart infrastructure investments should be made on a consistent and strategic foundation based on long-term planning and prioritization. Leaders need to create consistent, dedicated funding from a variety of sources to allow infrastructure owners to plan for the long-term future of their investments. ________5 2021 REPORT CARD FOR WASHINGTON, D.C.’S INFRASTRUCTURE www.infrastructurereportcard.org/district-of-columbia. Bridges ________6 2021 REPORT CARD FOR WASHINGTON, D.C.’S INFRASTRUCTURE www.infrastructurereportcard.org/district-of-columbia. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY D.C. has 244 highway bridges, 208 of which are owned by the D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) and 36 of which are owned by the National Park Service (NPS). The average age of these bridges is 62 years and approximately 30% of them will need to be rehabilitated in the next 10 years. Though DDOT and NPS have made significant strides in replacing or rehabilitating old bridges, about three percent of bridge conditions are still classified as poor. Even after the rehabilitation