State and local governments spend roughly half a trillion dollars each year on roads, bridges, transit, and water systems but still struggle to keep pace with needed repairs or make the significant up-front investments required to modernize public infrastructure. Most states lack the tools to track and address maintenance, repair, and investment needs for critical public infrastructure. As a result, deferred maintenance can accumulate, creating significant long-term fiscal risks and challenges.
In recent years, lagging revenue sources—such as fuel taxes— have prompted states to reexamine the ways in which they pay for essential public infrastructure maintenance and upgrades. At the same time, the growing risks to public infrastructure associated with the changing climate have heightened public and policymaker concern about persistent gaps in infrastructure investment.
To sustainably manage and address these infrastructure issues—deferred maintenance, growing funding needs, and emerging risks—state and local governments need to be able to understand and quantify ongoing capital maintenance and investment demands. Timely, accurate data and reliable tracking tools can help policymakers effectively direct investments, navigate competing fiscal priorities, and maximize available resources.
The research and analysis collected here outline clear metrics that states and localities can use to quantify deferred maintenance, adopt sustainable funding and financing strategies, and implement comprehensive capital budgeting and asset management practices. These efforts, combined with a focus on emerging risks, such as climate change and shifting revenue sources, can help governments address persistent infrastructure challenges and fill investment gaps.
