ASCE 2026 Report Card: Minnesota infrastructure at C, roads rated poor

DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) - The American Society of Civil Engineers released Minnesota’s 2026 Infrastructure Report Card, showing the state is at the national average.

Duluth city leaders and engineers met at Duluth International Airport Thursday morning to discuss the findings.

The report grades 11 categories—including roads, aviation and drinking water—on an A-to-F scale. Grades are based on capacity, condition, funding, future need, operations and maintenance, public safety, resilience and innovation.

The report card sections are graded based on capacity, condition, funding, future need, operation and maintenance, public safety, resilience and innovation.

ASCE defines these grades:

• A: Exceptional, fit for future
• B: Good, adequate for now
• C: Mediocre, requires attention
• D: Poor, at risk
• F: Failing/ critical, unfit for purpose

In Minnesota, aviation (B-) and public parks (B-) were rated in good shape. Bridges (C+), dams (C), drinking water (C-), energy (C+), ports (C), stormwater (C), transit (C) and wastewater (C) were rated are mediocre. Roads (D+) were rated in poor condition.

Overall, Minnesota earns a C, matching the 2025 national average.

The last state report was conducted in 2022, and Minnesota showed improvement. The report notes the state’s bridge grade improved from a C to a C-plus, which is one step above the national average. It also found 850 of the state’s 21,038 bridges are in poor condition, down from 874 in 2022.

Ports improved from a C-minus to a C, but engineers say many facilities are aging and need investment.

“Numerous docks and waterfront structures have exceeded their 50-year typical design life, with some of them now reaching 80 to 100 years,” said Chad Scott, vice president of AMI Consulting Engineers. “So these aging assets lack resilience against major storm events, harsh winter conditions and accelerated corrosion, particularly in the Duluth-Superior Harbor, has caused a rapidly deterioration to already marginal infrastructure.”

Scott says keeping ports competitive will take steady investment in both public and private infrastructure.

ASCE said that the report card is an advocacy tool that can be brought to lawmakers and elected officials to aid in sustainable infrastructure funding.

For the full report, click here.

Click here to download the Northern News Now app or our Northern News Now First Alert weather app.