The answer is yes, we should be looking at the cradle-to-grave, life-cycle costing. Asphalt pavement, for example, lasts between five and seven years. Concrete pavement lasts between 35 and 50 years. When oil is at $70 a barrel or less, we're not competitive on first cost with asphalt, but whenever oil is greater than $70 a barrel, we are winning first cost every time. So we would implore the government to put life-cycle costing into everything that they do, especially infrastructure. Build it right, build it wise, build it to last.
On November 3rd, 2011. See this statement in context.