The Portland Cement Association (PCA), representing America’s cement manufacturer’s, lauded House of Representatives bill H.R. 1375, Preserving America’s Infrastructure Dollars (PAID), which is bipartisan legislation that would require states to conduct a life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) on federal-aid road projects over $30 million.
On February 26, 2019, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be determined by the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
“LCCA examines the costs of competing designs and provides a means for agencies to make the most cost‐effective decision,” says PCA President & CEO Mike Ireland. “Too often, government agencies focus solely on initial costs, overlooking the total cost over the life of the pavement.”
Ireland noted that by considering the long-term costs of a transportation project, LCCA can reduce the adverse environmental impacts and spending associated with maintenance and rehabilitation of transportation projects.
“The PAID Act takes the right approach by leveling the playing field and helping states make the best spending decision for their citizens,” Ireland says. “LCCA ensures taxpayers receive a full value return on their investment.”
PCA released a report in 2018 estimating taxpayers would save $91 million for every $1 billion spent on infrastructure, or 9.1 percent, on infrastructure if LCCA is incorporated into the process.
To learn more about the principles of life-cycle-cost analysis, visit the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub.
To learn about organizations that support the PAID Act visit www.cement.org/lcca
