AL HB730

Requires the Alabama Department of Transportation to conduct a life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) for each major infrastructure project before obligating state funds, with analysis conducted over a 50-year period.

Defines major infrastructure projects as highway, transit, rail, high-speed rail, airport, seaport, public housing, energy, water, bridge, and military construction projects with total state cost estimates of at least $3,000,000.

LCCA must include initial construction costs and discounted future maintenance, user, reconstruction, rehabilitation, and resurfacing costs, using actual material and maintenance cost data with material-specific escalation rates.

Requires the Department of Transportation to develop baseline maintenance and rehabilitation strategies for each pavement type based on historical performance and modified to account for improvements in design methods and materials technology.

Mandates the department utilize the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) and DARWin-ME software for highway design in major infrastructure projects within 12 months, and implement the Alternate Design/Alternate Bid process for all major infrastructure projects within 12 months.