Many municipalities are seeking ways to more efficiently manage budgets and improve roadway performance. While there are many pavement types available to municipalities, the most common alternatives have historically been asphalt and concrete pavements. The recently released mechanisticempirical pavement design guide pavement design procedure and associated software application (DarwinME) has provided pavement designers with a very comprehensive procedure to develop specific pavement designs that will suite the purpose of the agency while minimizing costs. More robust design inputs have led to improvements in the design of both asphalt and concrete pavements based on long term pavement performance. The designs, maintenance and rehabilitation plans developed for this project are able to sustain an adequate level of service for Ontario municipalities over a 50 year service life. Pavement type selection is one of the more challenging engineering decisions facing roadway administrators. The process outlined in the paper includes a variety of engineering factors such as materials and structural performance which must be weighed against the initial and life-cycle costs, as well as, sustainable benefits. The technical part of the evaluation includes an analysis of pavement lifecycle strategies including initial and future costs for construction and maintenance activities.
