An Act Concerning Bridges on Discontinued Town Ways

Sec. 1. 23 MRSA §563, first ¶,  as enacted by PL 2001, c. 314, §2 and affected by §4, is amended to read:

The department shall inspect all structures on public ways.

Sec. 2. 23 MRSA §566, sub-§3,  as enacted by PL 2001, c. 314, §2 and affected by §4, is amended to read:

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Department of Transportation to enter into an agreement regarding a bridge when the town way carried by the bridge is being discontinued by the municipality, or county in the case of an unorganized territory. The agreement must be made with the municipality or county or with another state agency and must require the municipality or county or state agency to be responsible for the ownership and possible maintenance of the bridge or to understand that the department may choose to remove the bridge. The bill also provides that an inspection pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 23, section 563 may occur only on a bridge or minor span on a public way.