HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO--(Marketwired - Jun 14, 2016) - Now is the best time for the global investment community to finance infrastructure projects in the U.S., according to the Arcadis Global Infrastructure Investment Index. The U.S. has climbed in worldwide rankings to 8th place this year from 11th in 2012. This is the third index by Arcadis, the leading global design and consultancy firm, which ranks the world's 41 most dynamic countries with the greatest potential for growth and investment in their economic infrastructure.
"Fortunately, conditions in the U.S. have trended upward since the last Arcadis report and investors now see U.S. infrastructure as more desirable than traditionally investment-friendly countries in Europe and the UK," said John Jastrem, CEO, Arcadis North America. "Specifically, the improvement is driven by the country's improved economic position, a stable political environment, a low risk supply chain and a strong financial sector."
While some U.S. cities like Los Angeles and Chicago have used their credit worthy status to raise bond issues to spend on infrastructure, overall the United States has lagged in attracting private investments or public funding for major investments such as schools, highways, rail, ports, energy, airports and other major public infrastructure projects. This is despite new strategies and technologies that can actually produce more from every investment dollar spent. It's estimated that $3.6 trillion is needed by 2020 across 16 key asset sectors. But with only $2 trillion in investment forecast, the U.S. is expected to pursue more private financing.
"The U.S. economy is in better shape now with more certainty from Federal legislation, we're in a lower risk environment, and there's a strong need to stem the backlog of infrastructure projects to help propel our economy, cities and communities forward," said Dr. Wassim Selman, Infrastructure President, Arcadis North America. "While European and Asian markets have experienced greater instability, both economically and from a security standpoint, our study reveals the U.S. is ripe for financial investment in large infrastructure projects."
The top 10 most attractive countries for long-term infrastructure investment in 2016:
| Rank 2016 | Country | |
| 1 | Singapore | |
| 2 | Qatar | |
| 3 | UAE | |
| 4 | Canada | |
| 5 | Malaysia | |
| 6 | Norway | |
| 7 | Sweden | |
| 8 | USA | |
| 9 | UK | |
| 10 | Netherlands |
Download the full report here.
About Arcadis
Arcadis is the leading global design & consultancy firm for natural and built assets. Applying our deep market sector insights and collective design, consultancy, engineering, project and management services, we work in partnership with our clients to deliver exceptional and sustainable outcomes throughout the lifecycle of their natural and built assets. We are 27,000 people active in over 70 countries that generate more than $3.8 billion in revenues. We support UN-Habitat with knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of life in rapidly growing cities around the world. www.arcadis.com.