I have not-so-groundbreaking news to share: America’s infrastructure is underfunded. Very few within the civil engineering profession would consider the deteriorating condition of our nation’s infrastructure a revelation—it was demonstrated by the D+ grade point average reported in ASCE’s 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. Beyond the fact that we received a nearly failing grade, a lack of appropriate infrastructure investment directly impacts America’s productivity, quality of life, future growth and prosperity.
Against this backdrop, the civil engineering profession has a clear responsibility and opportunity. We can transform the current landscape and again live in a reality in which infrastructure is the foundation of a thriving society. This is the mission of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Grand Challenge, an intentionally bold directive that provides us with the chance to broaden our understanding of our role as civil engineers.