Senate Bill No. 314
(By Senator Chafin)
____________
[Introduced February 9, 1995; referred to the Committee
on Transportation; and then to the Committee on Finance.]
____________
A BILL to amend chapter seventeen of the code of West Virginia,
one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding
thereto a new article, designated article two-c, relating to
orphan roads; and establishing a discretionary orphan road
acquisition and upgrading program in all counties.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That chapter seventeen of the code of West Virginia, one
thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by
adding thereto a new article, designated article two-c, to read
as follows:
ARTICLE 2C. ORPHAN ROAD AND BRIDGE ACQUISITION PROGRAM.
§17-2C-1. Establishment of an orphan road acquisition and
upgrading program in all counties.
Authority is hereby granted to the West Virginia division of
highways to establish a program to acquire roads and bridges used
by the public which are not maintained by any governmental agency. These roads and bridges which are not maintained by a
governmental agency are herein designated as orphan roads. The
Legislature hereby finds and declares it to be important for the
economic and social development of the state that a program for
the acquisition and upgrading of orphan roads be undertaken by
the state to improve them to the standards of state maintained
roads. In particular, the Legislature finds and declares that
basic grading, stabilizing and draining should be performed on
orphan roads and bridges to promote the well-being of the public.
§17-2C-2. Development of program.
The West Virginia division of highways, with the help of the
county commissions, shall develop an orphan road acquisition and
upgrading program in all counties. The program shall be designed
to improve these roads to state road standards, but may only be
implemented at the discretion of county road supervisors, acting
under the authority of the county commission, in the county
wherein any such orphan road is situated.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to establish a state
program for acquisition and upgrading of orphan roads and
bridges. County road supervisors have the discretion to
determine which roads or bridges will be improved or if the
program is to be implemented in their counties.
This is a new article; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.