Overview and Report Card Objective

In 2001, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) prepared a National Infrastructure Report Card that assigned grades by discipline (roads, bridges, transit, aviation, schools, drinking water, wastewater, dams, solid waste, hazardous waste, navigable waterways, and energy) just as a school report card assigns grades by subject. The grades were shockingly low and compelled attention to often neglected infrastructure matters.

The UCI Civil and Environmental Engineering Affiliates in concert with a host of private and public sector professional and community groups, believe that such a report card created along the lines of the ASCE model, but implemented at the local level, would help the Orange County public works community confront our own infrastructure challenges. Supporting groups in this effort include the Orange County Branch of ASCE, American Public Works Association, the California Rebuild America Coalition, and the Orange County Business Council.

1. Assist in building support from our leaders and fellow citizens to begin the long and formidable task of rebuilding, upgrading, replacing, or expanding our public infrastructure facility and systems to maintain the quality of life and economic vitality in Orange County, Southern California and the State of California.

In other words – To build support for dedicated and consistent sources of funding for infrastructure facilities and systems, at levels sufficient to sustain them. (CalRAC Mission Statement)

2. To extend the benefits of the ASCE infrastructure Report Card Survey to a regional/local level by providing the public with technical well developed assessment of the region’s infrastructure.

The Orange County report card will evaluate 8 categories. These categories are listed below.