Civil Engineers: Montana’s Infrastructure Grade Declines to a ‘C-’

Grades across 14 categories range from ‘C+’ for Rail to ‘D’ for Schools, Stormwater

Helena, MT — The Montana Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) today released the 2024 Report Card for Montana’s Infrastructure, assigning 14 categories of infrastructure a cumulative grade of ‘C-‘, which is on par with the national average from the 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. This is a one-notch decrease from the ‘C’ grade Montana received in its last report in 2018, citing increasingly severe weather events putting strain on aging and underfunded assets, and one of the fastest growing populations requiring expansions of transportation, water and energy infrastructure. 

The report includes the first-ever chapter on Montana’s broadband infrastructure, assigning an ‘I’ grade for ‘incomplete’ due to a lack of sufficient condition data; however, the chapter does note that 71% of Montana residents have access to adequate broadband service, and the IIJA provided nearly $630 million to expand this access across the state.

Of the 14 categories, two (drinking water and schools) saw grade increases, while three (bridges, energy, and solid waste) saw grade decreases compared to the 2018 report.

The grades for each category are below:

“Record investments from the federal government and a variety of state-driven initiatives are creating an exciting future for Montana residents and visitors,” said Lexi Leffler, chair, 2024 Report Card for Montana’s Infrastructure. “We face significant challenges given how spread out our state is and how many environmental threats we encounter across our diverse geography, with minimal revenue sources to pull from due to our small population. However, Montana’s engineers, agencies or departments, and leadership continue to work to provide an infrastructure network that keeps our residents safe and economy thriving.”

The report notes that increasingly severe weather events such as the record water flows that led to a rail bridge collapse over the Yellowstone River in 2022 underscore the need to modernize Montana’s built environment with more resilient assets. Structures that are unprepared for harsh conditions will put lives at risk and slow economic growth. Emerging contaminants like PFAS in the state’s water supply, which pose great public health risks when consumed, are being addressed by state agencies effectively, but there is more to be done. Montana’s percentage-based population growth is among the highest in the nation since 2019, which can spark economic activity but also requires networks to expand to accommodate this growth.  

In this year’s report card, bridges dropped from a ‘C’ to a ‘C-’, despite a $45 million revenue boost from the IIJA over the bill’s five-year life cycle (2021-2026). While significant, available funding continues to be a fraction of existing needs, with annual needs hovering around $400 million while available funds are closer to $60 million. This has led to 35 more bridges labeled with posted load restrictions and 11 new bridge closures each year, which will grow 10-20% yearly if funding levels remain the same. This slows economic efficiency, forcing heavier trucks carrying goods through the region to take long detours, which ultimately increases the costs of goods.

Roads are also a ‘C-’, as 33% of urban roads and 20% of rural roads were classified as being in poor condition in 2023. Harsh winters exacerbate these challenges, as snow, ice, and freeze-thaw cycles accelerate pavement degradation. Over the next decade, an estimated $16.9 billion will be needed for road maintenance and improvements, yet projected revenue stands at just $6.5 billion.

Energy (‘C-’) is another chapter whose grade dropped one-notch from Montana’s 2018 report due to an aging grid that lacks the modern equipment necessary to support renewable energy integration and surging power demands. In an increasingly electric-dependent world, electricity consumption increased by 11% between 2010 and 2019. Additionally, Montana ranks 4^th in the nation for per capita energy consumption due to its energy-intensive industries (such as mining, agriculture), long travel distances, and harsh winters. However, Montana is a major player in the regional energy market, exporting 40% of its electricity to neighboring states.

The drinking water grade improved to a ‘C’, up from ‘C-’, as many water treatment facilities have been granted extensive upgrades in the last 10-15 years to remove harmful substances from the supply, and reduce lead service lines. Since 2018, total annual capital investment has increased by nearly 70%. Only 23 of the state’s 2,270 water systems are at risk of enforcement, meaning the majority meet federal drinking water regulations and are in good standing. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports the state will need $2.3 billion in funding for improvements, particularly water storage and aging pipelines. The future workforce is also a concern, as more than half of the state’s operator workforce is over the age of 55.

Dams received a ‘C-‘ in the report, as the number of high hazard potential dams – those which could lead to significant human or financial loss if they were to fail – has risen to 119 due to population growth, with new residents spreading out to areas that were previously unoccupied or had few residents, which means that dams that served those areas are now qualified as high hazard potential. Only 21 of the 119 high hazard potential dams are in poor condition, and risk reduction measures are in place. There are 3,007 inventory sized dams in the state of Montana, 50% more than any other Western state, and the average age of these dams is 70 years old, despite having design lives of 50 years.

The 2024 Report Card for Montana’s Infrastructure recommendations to raise the grades, include:

• Establishing dedicated, long-term funding for critical infrastructure categories: Temporary or inconsistent funding sources have led to deferred maintenance and increased infrastructure vulnerabilities. Dedicated funding streams can ensure sustained investment in critical infrastructure, securing economic growth and public safety for the long term.
• Addressing workforce development to sustain infrastructure progress: Montana’s infrastructure improvement requires a larger, more skilled, well-resourced workforce. Investments in education, training programs, and apprenticeships will ensure a pipeline of qualified workers to build, maintain, and modernize infrastructure while boosting economic opportunity.
• Prioritizing climate resilience in infrastructure planning and development:Montana’s diverse geography and extreme weather risks require robust strategies to enhance resilience. Investing in infrastructure capable of withstanding severe conditions, such as improved stormwater systems and wildfire-resistant designs, enhances resiliency and safeguards communities.

The report card was created as a public service to citizens and policymakers to inform them of the infrastructure needs in Montana. Civil engineers use their expertise and school report card-style letter grades to condense complicated data into an easy-to-understand analysis of Montana’s infrastructure network. ASCE State Report Cards are modeled after the national Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, which gave America’s infrastructure an overall grade of ‘C-’ in 2021. Following its quadrennial cycle, the next national report cardwill be released in March 2025.

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.