Infrastructure remains top issue for US mayors

With historic federal funding available, upgrading infrastructure is the top priority for US mayors, according to new research from the National League of Cities (NLC).

Based on analysis of mayoral speeches, the 2023 State of the Cities report finds that infrastructure took up 32 percent of the total speech time, followed by budget/management at 17 percent. Public safety took up 12 percent of speech time, economic development (11 percent) and housing (eight percent).

The research analysed 37 State of the City speeches delivered by mayors from cities of various sizes between October 2022 and April 2023.

Other themes were education, health and human services, and energy and environment.

“This year, mayors have once again made it clear that infrastructure is a top priority, as they see a pressing need to upgrade roads and bridges, water systems and broadband access,” said Clarence Anthony, NLC CEO and Executive Director. “With federal and state grant programmes available in the BIL [Bipartisan Infrastructure Law] to fund these demands, municipal governments across the country have been applying for, receiving, and investing in these resources to fully bring their communities into the 21st century.”

He added: “Mayors are not only focused on rebuilding the physical infrastructure of their communities, but also on boosting their economic growth by investing in downtown development and revitalisation projects. They are also working to strengthen relationships between police and their communities while also focusing on improving municipal finances to sustainably hire and retain city employees.”

The researchers said that this year’s report reveals that “mayors are increasingly connecting their top issues”. For example, they said that securing accessible and affordable housing is part of mayors’ economic development strategy, and mayors’ approaches to public safety recognise how it ties in with health and human services. However, the authority of mayors to make decisions in these areas can vary based on the size and type of municipality.

Climate resilience

2022 research from the National League of Cities sheds light on specific infrastructure priorities, finding that streets and roads were at the top of the list for municipalities, followed by water and sewer systems, and power utility systems.

America’s infrastructure scored a C-minus in a 2021 report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers. It found that growing wear and tear on roads has left 43 percent of the nation’s public roadways in poor or mediocre condition and that around 6 billion gallons of treated water is lost each day.

The NLC report also highlights the importance of building climate-resilient infrastructure that can withstand and recover from the impacts of extreme weather events, such as floods, storms, droughts, heat waves and wildfires. According to the United Nations, infrastructure is responsible for 79 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions and 88 percent of adaptation costs.

“City leaders are at the forefront of the conversation, developing forward-looking plans for a more climate-ready infrastructure,” the State of the Cities report says. “This work includes addressing infrastructure for water, sewers, transportation and the like.”

The State of the Cities report is in its tenth year. Infrastructure has remained a top priority for US cities for the past three years, overtaking economic development in 2021.

European picture

A survey published last month by Eurocities found that climate action is the number one priority for major European cities, with 55 percent of mayors selecting it – more than double any other category.

The research surveyed 92 mayors in 28 European countries. After climate action, mayors ranked mobility (23 percent), economic recovery (20 percent), fighting inequalities (18 percent), and housing (15 percent) as most urgent.