Sec. 1. 23 MRSA §609-E is enacted to read:

§609-E.__Bridges crossing municipal lines

1.__Petition Department of Transportation.__Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, municipal officers may petition the Department of Transportation to participate in the cost of reconstruction of any bridge:

A.__If that bridge crosses its municipal line into another municipality or unorganized territory on a town way, including a highway over a railroad bridge; or

B.__If the municipality shares the bridge with another municipality or unorganized territory whose location is within 250 feet of the bridge.

The department may make surveys and investigations in determining the necessity of reconstructing the bridge and is the sole arbiter as to whether the bridge is reconstructed under this section.

2.__Apportionment of costs.__The cost of construction of a bridge reconstructed under this section must be apportioned as follows:__50% to the Department of Transportation and 25% to each municipality or unorganized territory over whose line the bridge crosses or whose line is located within 250 feet of the bridge.__ The department may use any eligible federal funds to reduce proportionately the nonfederal shares of the cost of reconstruction.

SUMMARY

This bill authorizes municipalities or unorganized townships who share a bridge or who have bridges wholly within one town or territory, but located within 250 feet of another town or territory, to petition the Department of Transportation to reconstruct the bridge on a town way. The Department of Transportation would bear 50% of the cost for the construction and the other 50% would be split between the 2 municipalities or unorganized townships.