Structural assets that help move people and goods – roads, bridges, airports, shipping facilities and mass transportation – contribute greatly to the success of any state. They’re all grouped under that not-so-cuddly topic called infrastructure.

Cuddly or not, infrastructure is what keeps an economy humming and a reason CNBC ranked it among 10 criteria for determining America’s Top State for Business 2015. Minnesota tied with Arizona for ninth place in the CNBC rankings of state infrastructures, each collecting 221 points out of a possible 350 points. Texas finished first in the category with 267 points.

Among Minnesota’s strengths is its network of airports, led by the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, which links to 114 domestic and 23 international markets. MSP is one of the largest airports in North America, serving more than 35 million passengers a year. Other major airports in the state are Bemidji Regional, Brainerd Lakes Regional, Duluth International, International Falls Airport, Range Regional, Rochester International, St. Cloud Regional and Thief River Falls Regional.

Considering Minnesota is located in the middle of the continent, some people might be surprised to learn the state is the site of a major shipping port. The Port of Duluth-Superior connects Minnesota to the world. The facility is the farthest-inland freshwater seaport in North America and one of the leading bulk cargo ports on the continent. The facility handles 38 million short tons of cargo and nearly 1,000 sea vessels a year.

Minnesota has three other ports on Lake Superior and five ports on a Mississippi River system that stretches more than 222 miles on the state’s eastern border.

Railroads also are a vital part of the infrastructure formula, with the state boasting 4,444 route miles of railroads serviced by about 20 railroad companies. Minnesota has 25 rail corridors, most of which go through the Twin Cities or Duluth.

Among public transportation options, the Twin Cities has Northstar Commuter Rail and two light-rail lines, with plans for more light-rail routes in the works.

Besides hundreds of miles of state and local highways, Minnesota has three major interstates – Interstates 35 and 94 that go through the Twin Cities and Interstate 90 that runs east-west in the southern part of the state.

As CNBC put it, access to transportation in all its modes is a key to getting products to market and keeping people on the move. Minnesota’s well-connected transportation system is a major reason the state has a vibrant economy and is America’s Top State for Business 2015.