Pub. 3 2020-21 Issue 2

30 The Utah Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently published the 2020 Report Card for Utah’s Infrastructure. Craig Friant, P.E., was the Report Card Chair, and Ryan Maw, P.E., D. GE, was the Vice-Chair. Experts in each chapter’s subject wrote individual chapters. For a complete list of authors and contributors, please refer to the report itself. While the report was being written: • The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world. Utah was not exempt; infrastructure use and funding were both affected because people stayed home as much as possible, and user-generated revenue streams declined significantly. • A moderate earthquake event in Magna on March 18, 2020, reminded everyone that Utah is in the Intermountain Seismic Belt. Residents were displaced, structural damages totaled more than $62 million, public infrastructure damage totaled $70 million, and economic losses were $629 million. Utah was lucky. If the earthquake had affected the east valley benches instead, it would probably have been 60 times stronger and damages would have been in the billions. The earthquake was a reminder that unreinforced masonry buildings, including schools, are both at risk. • In 2021 President Biden began a much- needed effort to improve the country’s infrastructure. Each infrastructure category received a letter grade, as follows: • A: Exceptional, fit for the future • B: Good, adequate for now • C: Mediocre, requires attention • D: Poor, at risk • E: Failing/Critical, unfit for purpose Utah’s overall grade was a C+. Categories and grades included: • Aviation: C • Bridges: B+ • Canals: D • Dams: C+ • Drinking water: B- • Hazardous Waste: C+ • Levees: D- • Roads: B+ • Solid Waste: B- • Stormwater: C+ • Transit: B+ • Wastewater: C Although Utah’s C+ grade is disappointing, you have to put it in context: no one else did better, and only one state (Georgia) did as well. The grade is like the Magna earthquake. We need to do better, but the grade we received could have been worse than it was. UTAH INFRASTRUCTURE REPORT SUMMARY