JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – A new analysis by an engineering group suggests that Mississippi’s infrastructure has improved in the last four years, but the state still has a long way to go.

The American Society of Civil Engineers published their 2024 Infrastructure Report Card for Mississippi on Thursday. It looks at the state’s 12 most prominent infrastructure categories, including roads, bridges and water systems.

This year, Mississippi received a C-, which is in line with the national average. In 2020, the state received a D-.

The state’s railway system received the best score with a B, but the state’s drinking water and roads were rated a D-.

“Many of these infrastructure systems were built decades ago, which means that they are approaching their planned lifespan, and they may need rehabilitation or replacement for continued use of our much needed infrastructure. Mississippi’s infrastructure is showing the consequences of decades of deferred maintenance. This is because we’ve been kicking the proverbial can down the road in the past about fixing and maintaining these critical systems. This is not just for Mississippi, but this is actually true across the nation,” said Jennifer Sloan Ziegler, chair of the 2024 Mississippi Infrastructure Report Card.

When there is investment in Mississippi’s infrastructure, officials with the American Society of Civil Engineers said there are more jobs and greater economic growth.