27:19-36. Operation of bridges; tolls; agreements with counties for maintenance of bridges; powers of counties

The commission shall operate, manage and control the bridges under its charge in their entirety, fix the rate of tolls, establish rules and regulations for the use of such bridges, provide for the lighting and policing thereof, select such employees as are deemed necessary and fix their compensation, make necessary repairs and provide maintenance, and insure the bridges and all property connected therewith against every manner of loss or injury.

By or pursuant to resolution of its board of chosen freeholders, (a) any county may covenant and agree with any bridge commission as to the laying out or continuance of use and maintenance of any road or highway connecting with or contributing vehicular traffic to any bridge or approach of the commission or connecting 2 or more such bridges, and any county which created such commission or consented to the acquisition or construction of any such bridge or approach may covenant and agree with such commission for the maintenance and operation by such county of any such road or highway or any such approach or any part thereof, or for the payment by such county of all or any part of the expense of such maintenance and operation, and (b) any county which created a commission (i) may appropriate moneys for the purposes of the commission and loan or donate, or agree to loan or donate, such moneys to the commission in such installments and upon such terms as may be agreed upon with the commission, (ii) may, without any referendum or public or competitive bidding, sell, lease, lend, grant or convey to the commission any county bridge or bridge constituting part of a county road, with the approaches thereto and lands or rights in land necessary for the operation or replacement thereof which may be necessary or useful and convenient for the purposes of the commission and accepted by the commission, and (iii) may accept, or agree to accept, from the commission, as a county bridge or bridge constituting part of a county road, any bridge constructed or acquired by the commission, with the approaches thereto and lands and rights in land necessary for the maintenance thereof, which may be offered to the county by the commission, and such commission, subject to and in compliance with every contract or agreement of the commission, may convey such property to the county for maintenance by such county as a county bridge or bridge constituting part of a county road. Any such sale, lease, loan, grant, conveyance or acceptance may be made or given with or without consideration and for a specified or an unlimited period of time and under any agreement and on any terms and conditions which may be approved by such county and which may be agreed to by the commission in conformity with its contracts with the holders of any of its bonds. Any such covenant or agreement by a county shall be and constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of the county and shall be deemed to be made with or for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, the holder or holders of any bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness of the commission, as well as by the commission.

Amended by L.1946, c. 318, p. 1040, s. 8; L.1953, c. 162, p. 1411, s. 1; L.1963, c. 101, s. 5.