27:19-19. Tracks, pipes, conduits on bridges; agreement; appeal to utility commissioners

No person shall lay any tracks, pipes, or conduits, on, over or under a public viaduct or bridge, or connect any wires, cables or other appliances to any such viaduct or bridge without obtaining the consent of the board or boards of chosen freeholders operating or maintaining the viaduct or bridge and complying with such reasonable terms and conditions as may be prescribed by such board or boards, except that a public utility corporation which is subject to the regulation of the board of public utility commissioners and whose rates are subject to be fixed by that board, having the right to use the highway on both sides of a public viaduct or bridge, may lay its tracks, pipes or conduits on, over or under the viaduct or bridge, and may connect any wires, cables or other appliances thereto, at its own expense, under such reasonable terms and regulations as the board or boards of chosen freeholders operating and maintaining such viaduct or bridge may prescribe, which terms and regulations may be contained in an agreement between the board or boards of chosen freeholders and the public utility corporation.

The agreement may contain such provisions in regard to the use of the viaduct or bridge as may be agreed upon, but in no event shall the public utility corporation be required to pay for such use more than an amount sufficient to compensate the county for the extra burden imposed upon the county by reason of the use of the viaduct or bridge by the public utility corporation.

If the board or boards of chosen freeholders and the public utility corporation cannot agree upon the regulations or the amount to be paid hereunder, an appeal may be taken to the board of public utility commissioners which shall have power after hearing to fix the regulations governing such use, and the amount to be paid, if any, by the public utility corporation.