Trends May 2025

In this section, Informed Infrastructure compiles infographics from trusted sources that reveal insight on infrastructure spending. We also compile some of the top infrastructure stories that shouldn’t be missed. For ongoing news coverage, turn to Informed Infrastructure online (www.informedinfrastructure.com), our Twitter feed (@IInfrastructure) and our weekly e-newsletter.

EIC Report Warns of Climate Shortfall as North America Expands Both Renewables and Oil and Gas

According to a report from the Energy Industries Council (EIC), a global energy trade association and data and analytics provider, North America’s energy sector is charting two paths: a historic surge in renewable energy projects as well as fossil fuel expansion that’s threatening the continent’s climate commitments.

The region added 214 utility-scale energy facilities last year, with more than half being wind, solar and storage installations. Yet simultaneous record growth in LNG exports, oil drilling, and petrochemical production is a clear indication that conventional and new energies will walk hand in hand at least during the next few years.

“Governments are scaling renewables to meet climate goals but doubling down on fossil fuels to hedge economic and geopolitical risks,” said Rebecca Groundwater, EIC’s head of external affairs. “The situation mirrors global struggles to balance decarbonization with energy security.”

Report: AI Skills are Top Hiring Priority as Leaders Face Talent Shortages

In April 2025, Autodesk released its “2025 State of Design & Make” report, exploring sentiments from leaders across Design and Make industries on managing cost control, embracing emerging technologies, and addressing the talent and skills gaps. Despite experiencing geopolitical and economic uncertainty, the majority of leaders continue to invest in AI and technology advancement, acquisitions and sustainability across the board. Although AI and tech investments have slowed post-2024 hype, early adopters are beginning to benefit and refine their strategies.

Access the full report at bit.ly/42mYPkF.

ASCE Infrastructure Report Card Trends Slightly Upward

To access the full report, an executive summary, charts, state by state reports, and various videos and infographics, visit infrastructurereportcard.org/.

In March 2025, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended that 30 owners of 68 bridges across 19 states conduct a vulnerability assessment to determine the risk of bridge collapse from a vessel collision, part of the ongoing investigation into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

The NTSB found that the Key Bridge, which collapsed after being struck by the containership Dali on March 26, 2024, was almost 30 times above the acceptable risk threshold for critical or essential bridges, according to guidance established by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

During the year since the collapse, the NTSB identified 68 bridges that were designed before the AASHTO guidance was established—such as the Key Bridge—that don’t have a current vulnerability assessment. The recommendations are issued to bridge owners to calculate the annual frequency of collapse for their bridges using AASHTO’s Method II calculation.

The report does not suggest the 68 bridges are certain to collapse, but it recommends that these 30 bridge owners evaluate whether the bridges are above the AASHTO acceptable level of risk and, if so, develop and implement a comprehensive risk reduction plan.

The NTSB found that had the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) conducted a vulnerability assessment on the Key Bridge based on recent vessel traffic, MDTA would have been aware that the Key Bridge was above the acceptable risk and would have had information to proactively reduce the bridge’s risk of a collapse and loss of lives associated with a vessel collision with the bridge.

The full NTSB Marine Investigation Report is available at bit.ly/4jnHpKT.

Buildings

• American Concrete Institute Publishes Code Requirements for Low-Carbon Concrete 
• Global Alliance Unveils New Report to Unlock Billions for Decarbonizing Buildings at Scale 
• New Report from U.S. Green Building Council Details Data on Three Decades of Impact 
• Catching Problems Early, Making Repairs Key to Proper Parking Structure Maintenance 
• Conserving a Terra-Cotta Cornice and Puertorican Patrimony: Dome of the Capitol Building Restoration Project 

Transportation

• Acrow Designs and Supplies Steel Beam Bridge for Langford Solar Farm in Devon 
• Amtrak Selects STV Joint Venture with AECOM for Transformative Sawtooth Bridges Replacement Project 
• Video: Wyoming DOT’s Big Fill Slide Progress 
• Zevtron Announces Support for Locations Transitioning from Shell Recharge EV Solution 
• DOT Vision Zero Report Shows Large Decline in Traffic Deaths in Lower-Income Neighborhoods with Street Redesign 

Water

• Desalination Is Booming, But Faces a Saltwater Reality Check 
• New Report Exposes Alarming Economic Impacts on D.C. Region if Faced with Water Supply Disruption 
• Great Lakes Water Authority to Enhance Corrosion Control Measures to Provide Added Protection 
• Stantec Chosen to Design New Biosolids Treatment Facility for City of Winnipeg 
• Denver Water Sets Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Goal for 2030 

Tools and Technology

• Trimble Introduces New Tiered Subscription Bundles for Contractors to Take Advantage of Civil Construction Technology 
• The AI Revolution in 3D Rendering: Key Insights for Architects and Designers 
• EagleView Launches New Property Data Ecosystem 
• Coastal Technologies Corporation Secures Groundbreaking Patent for Coastal Protection and Environmental Resilience Technologies 
• Digital Twin Consortium Launches Digital Twin Testbed Initiative