The United States has struggled to improve its infrastructure rating for over a decade. Could public-private partnerships (P3s) help fill funding gaps to deliver quality public buildings and essential facilities? These six trends may reveal the answer as 2026 unfolds.

Getting a “C” on a report card may not seem like a very good mark, but it’s the highest grade the United States has scored on infrastructure since the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) first started awarding grades in 1998. Announced every four years, the ASCE report card evaluates 18 infrastructure sectors on categories such as capacity, future need, resilience and public safety.  
 
According to the 2025 report, the most recent data available, the United States faces a $3.7 trillion gap in funding if it’s to reach a state of “good repair” by 2033. Drinking water infrastructure alone faces an almost $1 trillion funding gap, while the aviation sector needs another $114 billion, and the energy sector is facing a $578 billion gap between current and needed investment. Several construction industry experts and government agencies have identified public-private partnerships (P3s) as a key strategy for overcoming funding shortfalls while delivering critical infrastructure for a great value to local communities.

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