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# System prepended metadata

title: Infrastructure

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# Infrastructure

**Reliable and varied infrastructure is the backbone of the Texas economy.**

Texas’ critical infrastructure includes roads, bridges, railways, mass transit systems, seaports, airports, pipelines, and lines carrying data and electricity. Our state’s population is projected to increase nearly 25% by 2036 to more than 38 million residents — a massive influx of people that will sorely test Texas’ infrastructure.

**Millions of working Texans — and 1.8 trillion ton-miles of freight — depend on Texas’ transportation infrastructure, especially its roads.**  In 2019, more than $194 billion was spent on travel in Texas (including time, fuel, and vehicle costs). But roads alone cannot meet our needs: a diverse, multimodal transit network, including seaports, railways and airports, is essential to Texas’ future economic growth and opportunity. 

Modern, well-maintained infrastructure also keeps people safe. It is tellingly troubling that Texas ranked second-to-last among 12 peer states for annual traffic fatality rates, with 3,615 deaths in 2019.

**Further, digital connectivity, access to broadband and digital literacy should be considered 21st century infrastructure.** These are no longer luxuries, but necessities to participate in the modern-day economy: they are increasingly necessary to access health care, education, and economic opportunity. However, 7.4 million people — nearly one-quarter of the Texas population — do not have access to broadband.     

**A reliable, cost-effective electric infrastructure also is critical to power the economy and supply homes and businesses.** Today, however, while Texas has low electricity rates, we also have the highest residential electricity bills due to usage ($132 per month on average) and the worst federally rated reliability metrics – including System Average Interruption Frequency Index and System Average Interruption Duration Index – relative to Texas’ peer states. 


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#### Goal 12: Mobility of Goods
Texas enables economic growth by moving goods efficiently.

#### Goal 13: Transportation Safety & Reliability
Texans can travel to their destinations safely and reliably.

#### Goal 14: Digital Connectivity
Texans can digitally participate in economic opportunities and essential services.

#### Goal 15: Electricity Cost & Reliability
Texas maintains a sufficient, reliable, and cost-competitive electricity infrastructure.