Subd. 1. Definitions.

For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply.

1. (a) "Life-cycle cost" is the sum of the cost of the initial pavement project and all anticipated costs for maintenance, repair, and resurfacing over the life of the pavement. Anticipated costs must be based on Minnesota's actual or reasonably projected maintenance, repair, and resurfacing schedules, and costs determined by the Department of Transportation district personnel based upon recently awarded local projects and experience with local material costs.
2. (b) "Life-cycle cost analysis" is a comparison of life-cycle costs among competing paving materials using equal design lives and equal comparison periods.

Subd. 2. Required analysis.

For each project in the reconditioning, resurfacing, and road repair funding categories, the commissioner shall perform a life-cycle cost analysis and shall document the lowest life-cycle costs and all alternatives considered. The commissioner shall document the chosen pavement strategy and, if the lowest life cycle is not selected, document the justification for the chosen strategy. A life-cycle cost analysis is required for projects to be constructed after July 1, 2011. For projects to be constructed prior to July 1, 2011, when feasible, the department will use its best efforts to perform life-cycle cost analyses.

Subd. 3. Report.

The commissioner shall report annually to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and house of representatives committees with jurisdiction over transportation finance beginning on January 1, 2012, the results of the analyses required in subdivision 2.