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Lone Star Infrastructure Named No. 1

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

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Don’t mess with Texas infrastructure and transportation; they’re the best in the United States, according to a new ranking by CNBC.

The Lone Star State’s superior transportation system in all modes helped propel it to a threepeat as America’s Top State for Business in CNBC’s sixth annual study.

AASHTO

Texas bested every state when measured by the value of goods shipped by air, land and water. The award-winning Houston Ship Channel Bridge (officially, the Fred Hartman Bridge) opened in 1995.

Texas racked up 1,604 points out of a possible 2,500 overall, with top-10 finishes in six of the business network’s 10 categories of competitiveness. Texas has held a first- or second-place ranking every year since CNBC began the study in 2007.

50 States, 51 Metrics

Each year, CNBC scores all 50 states on the criteria they use to sell themselves. This year’s analysis used 51 metrics, which the network developed with the help of the National Association of Manufacturers and the nonprofit Council on Competitiveness, as well as input from the states themselves.

This year’s categories and possible point totals are:

• Cost of Doing Business (350)

• Workforce (350)

• Quality of Life (350)

• Infrastructure & Transportation (325)

• Economy (325)

• Education (225)

• Technology & Innovation (225)

• Business Friendliness (200)

• Access to Capital (100)

• Cost of Living (50)

Texas
 
For the second straight year, Texas was ranked No. 1 for Infrastructure, racking up 248 out of a possible 325 points. It improved to second place for Technology and Innovation and boasts the third-lowest Cost of Living.

The Top 5

The Bottom 5

The infrastructure category measured the vitality of each state’s transportation system by the value of goods shipped by air, land and water. CNBC looked at the availability of air travel in each state, and the quality of the roads.

Texas took a tumble in several other categories, however, notching 26th place in Education, 28th in Cost of Doing Business, and 35th in Quality of Life. The state has no corporate income tax and no personal income tax.

No, Virginia…

Virginia, last year’s overall winner, slid to third place this year—felled, in part, by its infrastructure.

“Infrastructure—specifically, the state’s perpetually clogged highways—has long been an issue in fast-growing Virginia, and there is fresh evidence this year that the state is having trouble keeping pace,” CBNC reported.

“With some of the country’s toughest commutes, the state dipped to number 33 in the category, down from 10th a year ago.”

Infrastructure’s Limits

Overall, however, even winning scores in infrastructure and transportation did little boost most states’ overall rankings.

Utah and Georgia were the only states besides Texas to notch top-10 rankings overall and in the Infrastructure and Transportation category.

Utah ranked second overall and eighth in Infrastructure. Georgia placed ninth overall and third in Infrastructure.

Minnesota ranked second nationwide in Infrastructure, but only 11th overall, held back by its Cost of Business (25), Workforce (31) and Cost of Living (35) ratings.

Infrastructure and transportation systems to avoid? The bottom five were New Hampshire (46), West Virginia (47), Vermont (48), Hawaii (49) and Rhode Island (50).