(A) As used in this section, "long life expectancy material" means any material, including a composite, that, when used for a bridge deck in lieu of steel, concrete, or reinforced concrete, will result in an expected useful life of the bridge deck before replacement of at least thirty years.

(B) A county engineer may make a recommendation to the board of county commissioners for the issuance of indebtedness of the county as provided under division (C) of this section if the county engineer determines that the projected savings from the use of long life expectancy material in the construction or repair of the bridge deck of a bridge for which the county has construction or maintenance responsibility are sufficient to pay any additional debt service costs of that indebtedness. In making this determination, the county engineer shall do all of the following:

(1) Determine the expected useful life of the bridge deck if constructed or repaired using long life expectancy material. In making the determination, the county engineer shall use credible data and shall thoroughly review any data used that is not generated by the engineer.

(2) Determine the additional debt service costs the county would incur issuing indebtedness under division (C) of this section compared to issuing indebtedness to construct or repair the bridge deck using steel, concrete, or reinforced steel;

(3) Compare the additional debt service costs to the projected savings in operating, repair, and future capital improvement costs of the bridge deck over the lesser of fifty years or its expected useful life.

The county engineer also may include in a recommendation under division (B) of this section a recommendation to purchase and install performance monitoring equipment to monitor the physical condition of the bridge so constructed or repaired.

(C) Upon a recommendation of the county engineer pursuant to division (B) of this section, and pursuant to division (C)(7) of section 133.07 of the Revised Code, a board of county commissioners may issue indebtedness of the county subject to, and having a maximum maturity specified in, division (B)(1)(c) of section 133.20 of the Revised Code, for the purpose of constructing or repairing with long life expectancy material the bridge deck of a bridge for which the county has construction or maintenance responsibility and, if also so recommended, for the purpose of purchasing, installing, and maintaining in conjunction with the bridge improvement performance monitoring equipment to monitor the physical condition of the bridge. The authority conferred by this division is in addition to any other statutory authority of a board to issue indebtedness for a bridge improvement, including an improvement using long life expectancy material.

Effective Date: 03-14-2003.