The results of the first-ever infrastructure report card for Rhode Island are in, with the coastal state winning a passing grade from the American Society of Civil Engineers. But it was not exactly with flying colors, with the Rhode Island chapter of the ASCE handing out a C- to the Ocean State due to decades of underinvestment in its roads and bridges.

On the plus side, Rhode Island has been beefing up spending on its roadways since 2016, when the state pushed ahead with the $5-billion RhodeWorks program, aimed at bringing the state’s transportation infrastructure up to grade by 2025. However, the Rhode Island Dept. of transportation has pegged more than $378 million in road repairs for which it currently has no funding, while “Rhode Island’s share of rural roads in poor condition is ranked as the highest in the nation,” the report notes.

Rhode Island报告卡以及其他ASCE州和区域基础设施报告卡以ASCE的国家报告卡进行建模。相比之下，ASCE在2017年给予了美国基础设施的D+。

“In these trying times, the importance of our state’s infrastructure is clearer than ever,” said Nazifa Sarawat, chair of the 2020 Report Card for Rhode Island's Infrastructure. “It means our infrastructure is in mediocre condition and requires attention.”

The ASCE report assesses seven key categories of infrastructure in the state, handing out the lowest grades to bridges (D-) and roads (D).
Nearly a quarter of Rhode Island’s 779 bridges were deemed structurally deficient in 2019, with 117 having posted load restrictions.

恶劣的条件是“投资不足”结合在一起的结果，加上“冰冰剂的磨损”，这是冬季在新英格兰道路上生活的事实。萨拉瓦特说：“我们的桥梁迫切需要帮助。”

The condition of Rhode Island’s drinking water and wastewater treatment plants earned mediocre grades, pulling a C+ and C, respectively.
The largest water treatment plant in New England, Providence Water, has pumped $460 million into capital improvements over the past 14 years, including 86 miles of new pipes.

However, Providence Water says portions of the housing stock within its retail distribution network is nearly a century old, and a lot of these homes still have lead service pipes and plumbing. As such, Providence Water, says it has struggled to be below limits set for lead by the EPA.

该州的废水处理厂也需要升级。这些植物的平均年龄为69岁，普罗维登斯（Providence），中央瀑布（Central Falls）和帕塔基特（Pawtucket）的管道平均年龄为一个世纪。

Meanwhile, climate change expected to raise serious challenges to the coastal state’s infrastructure as a whole, with sea levels expected to rise by 10 ft by the end of the century.

该报告指出，该州的90座桥梁和573英里的海岸线构成了七英尺的上升。

“Rhode Island is one of the oldest states in the nation and, as a result, our infrastructure faces many challenges," said Sarawat, in a press release. "Severe weather events and our location as a coastal state only add to the burden. If we want to use taxpayer funds efficiently and proactively ensure public safety, we must ensure that our systems are properly maintained and prepared for imminent sea level rise, harsh winters and increasingly severe storms."

ASCE在对罗德岛基础设施的调查中也指出了一些亮点。

铁路基础设施赢得了报告中的最高成绩，近年来增加了高速铁路，通勤铁路服务的扩展以及对较旧的货运线的大修。

Rhode Island also won a better grade for its energy infrastructure, pulling a C+. The state set a goal to have its entire electricity load handled by renewable energy by 2030, while Rhode Island’s per capita energy consumption is among the lowest in the country.

该州还拥有该国的第一个离岸风电场。

Still, Rhode Island’s gas lines are in need of an upgrade, with 44% now over 50 years old, the report card notes.

In order to pull up its infrastructure grade, Rhode Island will need to continue to support its RhodeWorks repair and maintenance program, boost in-state capacity for the generation of electricity, boost multimodal freight and other connections to the state’s ports, and further develop climate resiliency plans, the report recommends.

"Infrastructure fuels Rhode Island's economy, but our systems are aging rapidly and require more investment to keep up with future needs," Rhode Island Lt. Governor Dan McKee said in a statement.