The Director of Transportation in California, after consulting with the board, needs to review and adjust the requirements for buying paving and construction materials for roads to include recycled materials. This includes things like recycled asphalt, crushed concrete, and foundry slag. They also need to use recycled products like crumb rubber from tires, ash, and glass in these projects. However, the quality of the materials for roads and highways should not be compromised.

This law requires California’s State Procurement Officer to prioritize buying paving and subbase materials that include recycled components, for use by the Department of Transportation and other state agencies. However, if the Director of Transportation finds these materials not cost-effective, they can be bypassed. Cost-effectiveness is determined by looking at how long the pavement lasts and the associated maintenance costs.

The requirement applies to contractors working with the Department of General Services or other state agencies as well. Recycled materials can include things like recycled asphalt, crushed concrete, and other items specified by the Department of Transportation’s standards.

This law requires California's Department of Transportation to use crumb rubber from recycled tires instead of other materials in asphalt for state highway projects. Starting January 1, 2007, the department must incorporate increasing amounts of crumb rubber each year. By 2013, the requirement is at least 11.58 pounds per metric ton of asphalt. These requirements are averaged statewide, so not every project must use asphalt with crumb rubber.

The Transportation Agency must annually analyze the cost differences between crumb rubber asphalt and regular asphalt. If crumb rubber asphalt doesn't cost more, increased use is mandated. Crumb rubber sourced must be from U.S.-derived waste tires, and the Department must coordinate with the East Bay Municipal Utility District when projects affect their infrastructure. Additionally, procedures should be developed for utilizing crumb rubber in other projects.

This law allows the California Department of Transportation to set rules for using up to 40% reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in road construction materials by January 1, 2014. The department can also establish guidelines exceeding this percentage if they choose. By March 1, 2016, they should report to the Legislature on the progress made since 2011 in creating and using these specifications. The requirement to report became inactive on March 1, 2020.

By January 1, 2017, local agencies responsible for streets or highways in their area must either adopt state standards for using recycled paving and backfill materials or explain at a public hearing why they are not adopting these standards.

This law encourages the use of advanced technologies and recycling in maintaining streets and highways, aiming to cut costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. From January 1, 2024, local agencies should use standard specifications that permit using recycled materials in road projects, provided it’s feasible and cost-effective. For three years, these specifications must allow recycled materials at or above levels set by the Department of Transportation's 2018 standards. This applies to materials like recycled base and subbase materials, reclaimed asphalt, and various recycled components in concrete.

The law does not apply to smaller jurisdictions, specifically cities with populations of 25,000 or fewer and counties with populations of 100,000 or fewer.