§ 11 — Maps, plans, specifications and estimates

§ 11. Maps, plans, specifications and estimates. Whenever the\ncommissioner of transportation shall have determined upon the\nconstruction or improvement of a state highway, or section thereof, he\nshall make or cause to be made surveys, and suitable preliminary maps,\nplans and specifications. The commissioner shall have the following\npowers and duties in respect to such highways:\n 1. He shall cause the highway or section thereof so determined to be\nimproved to be mapped both in outline and profile.\n 2. He may provide for a deviation from the line of a highway already\nexisting, if thereby a shorter or more direct highway, or a lessened\ngradient may be obtained without decreasing the usefulness of the\nhighway. If such deviation requires the consequential relocation of any\ntracks and appurtenances of a railroad company, he may acquire adequate\nright of way to provide for the relocation of the highway as well as the\nrailroad tracks, pursuant to section thirty of this chapter, and he may\nenter into a written agreement with the owner of the lands from which\nthe tracks shall be relocated to exchange such lands for the lands\nacquired for their relocation. The work of relocating the tracks may be\ndone by the owner, and the commissioner of transportation is hereby\nempowered to enter into an agreement with the owner for the performance\nof all or any part of the work at the expense of the state, and such\nexpense shall be deemed to be a part of the cost of the relocation of\nthe highway.\n 3. He may provide for the widening of an existing highway.\n 4. He shall cause to be prepared preliminary plans and specifications\nfor the construction or improvement of such highway or section thereof\nproviding for a telford, macadam or gravel roadway, or other suitable\nconstruction, taking into consideration climate, soil and materials to\nbe had in the vicinity thereof, and the extent and nature of the traffic\nlikely to be upon such highway, specifying in his judgment the kind of\nhighway a wise economy demands.\n 5. He shall provide in such plans and specifications for necessary\nculverts, drains, ditches, waterways, embankments, guard rails and\nretaining walls, and he may also provide for cattle passes wherever he\nmay deem them to be necessary and suitable in the interest of public\nsafety and as a traffic precaution.\n 6. He may provide therein for the removal or planting of trees, and\nseeding or sodding, within the boundaries of the highway, when necessary\nfor the preservation thereof.\n 7. He may provide therein for the removal of, or the trimming of any\ntrees within the boundaries of the highway necessary for the convenience\nor safety of the public, or the construction or preservation of the\nhighway.\n 8. He shall provide therein for the erection of suitable guide boards.\n 9. He may provide for such other work as may be required to complete\nthe construction or improvement in a proper manner.\n 10. He shall cause an estimate to be made of the cost of the\nconstruction of such highways or section thereof in accordance with such\nplans and specifications. In making such estimate he shall cause to be\nascertained and specified with all practical accuracy the quantity of\nembankment, excavation and masonry, the quantity of all materials to be\nused and all items of work to be placed under contract.\n