Why cities can’t afford to wait: decision-making is only getting more complex

What happens when the infrastructure that powers cities begins to falter? In the first installment of The Infrastructure Imperative blog series, we examine the importance of prioritizing the maintenance of infrastructure such as public buildings and facilities, which allows cities to function and drive productivity. Cities are hubs of growth and prosperity and have the responsibility to be custodians of the future, making decisions that balance the trade-offs that come with limited resources within complex, integrated environments. 

A city’s competitive index climbs when core services stay reliable and accessible, pulling in employers, skilled workers and voters—and with them more property and sales tax dollars. Let those services slip, and growth, talent and revenue migrate to the next metro that keeps service levels high.

When the City of Pasadena identified an estimated $2 billion in deferred maintenance  for its streets, facilities and utility systems, it reflected a broader reality facing many municipalities across North America. Backlogs in infrastructure maintenance and repair can eventually impact a city’s ability to maintain service levels and public safety with significant and costly consequences that persist into the future. From roadways to water systems, aging assets are prompting cities to revisit how they plan, prioritize and fund infrastructure maintenance and respond to change.

From risk to resilience

Aging school buildings may face issues like unreliable heating or roof leaks, while deteriorating roads can lead to vehicle damage and increased congestion and accident risk. The local economy, too, can be impacted—such as by unexpected service disruptions caused by water main breaks and other unplanned events. Pasadena’s infrastructure resilience assessment underscores the importance of understanding current asset conditions and their potential risks and planning accordingly to ensure future mitigation.

Planning for the unexpected

In the past, extreme weather events were less common. Today, these events are increasingly becoming part of a new normal and can have devastating consequences for large cities and smaller municipalities. One small Florida town recently recorded 20 inches of rain in just 24 hours, overwhelming stormwater systems designed for much less frequent rainfall. The heavy floods turned roads into rivers, putting citizens’ lives at risk.

Coastal and mountain communities alike are being asked to plan for greater uncertainty in weather patterns—from flooding to fire to landslides—and even well-maintained infrastructure systems are being pushed beyond their original design limits. To manage this evolving landscape, cities are looking to develop more flexible, forward-looking plans that account for a wider range of potential scenarios and outcomes.

This shift requires a new approach—one that places adaptability and resilience at the center of infrastructure planning and investment strategies when dealing with uncertainty.

Strategic asset investment that drives productivity

Amid these challenges, many city and municipal leaders are acting with renewed urgency. While the 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure noted a slight improvement in the overall grade (now a C), deeper analysis reveals that certain sectors still require focused attention when preparing for the future.

This is where data-driven asset investment planning through a reliable business analytics platform becomes not only a competitive advantage but also a necessity. By understanding the condition and performance of assets and possible scenarios and outcomes that may exist, cities are empowered to plan and prioritize for a more productive future while remaining aligned with strategic goals (such as climate resilience, state-of-good-repair, regulatory compliance and fiscal strength), community needs and well-being, and long-term investment dynamics. Learn more about Enterprise Decision Analytics.

Coming up in part two:

We’ll explore how data and technology are helping cities respond to climate change, improve strategic planning and break down silos in complex infrastructure management.