§703. Access roads to public ski areas, public industrial development areas and certain resources

If the municipal officers of one or more municipalities or the county commissioners, if they are acting in the capacity of municipal officers, and the owner or owners of a ski area open to the general public, the owner or owners of a public industrial development area or the owners of a resource of general, regional or state economic significance to the public jointly deem it necessary that a public or private road be constructed or reconstructed in the municipality or unorganized township represented by the municipal officers or county commissioners, they may jointly petition the department for the construction or reconstruction of such a road. Following a review of the petition, if the department deems it advisable to do so it shall arrange for a public hearing to be held for the purpose of allowing the petitioners and others interested in the proposed road or reconstructed road to be heard. Following the hearing, if the department decides construction or reconstruction of such a road is warranted and falls within the provisions of this section it may arrange for construction or reconstruction under the following conditions.   [PL 1985, c. 682 (RPR).]

1.  Consent of owner.  Such a road shall be constructed or reconstructed only with the consent of the owner or owners of the land over which the section of road will be constructed or reconstructed. In the case of existing private roads or construction of a new road, the owner or owners shall donate the required land, in accordance with the requirements of the department, to the municipality, municipalities, county or counties involved. Following donation of this land, these government entities shall lay out the road as a town or county way.

[PL 1985, c. 682 (RPR).]

2.  Cost.  The cost of construction or reconstruction shall be paid 50% from the Highway Fund, subject to available funds; 25% from the municipality and county if the road is located in whole or in part in unorganized township or townships; and 25% from the owner or owners of the ski area involved, the owner or owners of the industrial development area involved or the owners of a resource of general, regional or state economic significance to the public involved. Construction or reconstruction shall not be authorized by the department until the owner of the ski area, industrial development area or the owner or owners of an area containing a resource of general, regional or state economic significance to the public involved gives a bond to the State, approved by the department, to guarantee the payment of the ski owner's, industrial development owner's or the owner's or owners' of a resource of general, regional or state economic significance to the public, proportionate share and the municipality or county involved advises the department that its share of funds is available for construction or reconstruction of the access road.

[PL 1985, c. 682 (RPR).]

3.  Supervision.  The department has the responsibility for the supervision and construction or reconstruction of the road.

[PL 1985, c. 682 (RPR).]

4.  Limitation.  No more than 4 miles of access road in each township or municipality may be constructed or reconstructed under this section to serve any one ski area, industrial development area or area containing a resource of general, regional or state economic significance to the public.

[PL 1985, c. 682 (RPR).]

5.  Prerequisite.  Before the department authorizes the construction or reconstruction of the road, the department must determine that there has been expended in developing the facility of the ski area, industrial development area or area containing a resource of general, regional or state economic significance to the public, a minimum of $100,000 or that there are funds in the amount of at least $100,000 available to be expended in developing the facilities of the ski area, industrial development area or resource of general, regional or state economic significance to the public within a time to be established by the department.

No such road may be constructed or reconstructed until the municipalities and counties that are involved have appropriated or raised, by taxation or otherwise, a sum sufficient to pay to the State their proportionate share of the cost of the access road constructed or reconstructed under this section.

[PL 1985, c. 682 (RPR).]

6.  Maintenance.  Upon completion of the sections of access road constructed or reconstructed under this section, the municipality or municipalities and county or counties in which the section of highway is located shall assume the responsibility for properly maintaining the road as a public highway.

[PL 1985, c. 682 (RPR).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 1965, c. 388, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 1965, c. 513, §§43-A (AMD). PL 1971, c. 593, §22 (AMD). PL 1977, c. 688, §2 (AMD). PL 1981, c. 456, §A77 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 682 (RPR).