Pennsylvania Act 1925-359 — INTER-COUNTY BRIDGES, JOINT CONSTRUCTION

Act text

INTER-COUNTY BRIDGES, JOINT CONSTRUCTION
                  Act of May 13, 1925, P.L. 667, No. 359              Cl. 16
                                  AN ACT

     Providing for the building or rebuilding of inter-county bridges
        by adjoining counties or by a county and a city in an
        adjoining county, and providing for the assessment and
        payment of damages for lands taken for such purpose by any
        county.

        Compiler's Note:  Section 150 of Act 447 of 1929 provided
            that Act 359 is repealed except as it relates to counties
            of the first class.
        Section 1.  Be it enacted, &c., That whenever it is necessary
     to erect a bridge on the boundary line between two counties
     either to take the place of an inter-county bridge which has
     become insufficient for any cause to accommodate public travel
     or to provide a new bridge where none has previously been, such
     counties may jointly build or rebuild such bridge after first
     having obtained the approval of a grand jury and the court of
     quarter sessions in each county.
        Section 2.  When such bridge is on the dividing line between
     two counties which is also the dividing line between one county
     and a city in the other county and such city has authority to
     build or rebuild such bridge or to join with any county therein
     said county may join with said city in the other county in
     building or rebuilding such bridge. In such case the approval of
     a grand jury and the court of quarter sessions of the county so
     joining with a city only shall be required.
        Section 3.  The cost of such bridge shall be paid in such
     proportions as shall be agreed upon by the two counties or by
     the county and city so joining. Such bridge when built shall be
     an inter-county bridge and be subject to all provisions of
     existing laws relating to inter-county bridges.
        Section 4.  Whenever in the construction of a bridge lands
     are taken in any county joining in such construction and damages
     are sustained by the owner or owners of such lands the county
     commissioners in the county where the lands are located when
     possible shall enter into an agreement with such owner or owners
     as to the amount of damages to be paid to such owner or owners,
     which damages if agreed upon shall be paid by the county in
     which the lands are located. If a satisfactory agreement cannot
     be made then such owner or owners may present their petition to
     the court of quarter sessions in the county where the lands are
     located for the appointment of viewers to ascertain and assess
     their damages. The proceedings upon said petition and by the
     viewers shall be governed by existing laws relating to the
     ascertainment and assessment of damages for building county
     bridges. The county commissioners, or any other party to such
     proceedings, may appeal from the award of the viewers to the
     court of common pleas and shall be entitled to a trial by jury.
     Such damages when ascertained shall be paid by the county in
     which the lands taken are located.
        (4 repealed in part June 3, 1971, P.L.118, No.6)
        Section 5.  This act does not repeal the provisions of any
     existing law relating to the building or rebuilding of inter-
     county bridges, but is intended as an additional method of
     accomplishing the same.