§ 16701 — Authority, definitions and application of chapter

(a) Bridges and viaducts.--The county commissioners may locate, lay out, open, construct, reconstruct, widen, straighten, extend, alter, replace, remove and otherwise provide for bridges and viaducts over streams and other topographical impediments to public traffic, as parts or adjuncts of the roads within the county for vehicles and pedestrians or for pedestrians only, and culverts within the county or partly within and partly without the county, in accordance with this chapter.

(b) Application.--This chapter shall apply to necessary approaches, abutments, slopes, walls, embankments, fills, piers and other items pertaining to bridges, viaducts and culverts as to the bridges, viaducts and culverts themselves.

(c) Limitation.--The provisions of this chapter may not apply to any matters relating to county bridges, viaducts or culverts to the extent they are covered by the act of June 1, 1945 (P.L.1242, No.428), known as the State Highway Law, or of any other law vesting in the Department of Transportation and the various counties of the Commonwealth, rights, powers and duties. The terms of the foregoing limitation shall apply as well for the former act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.1053, No.286), known as the Public Utility Law, and the Public Utility Commission.

(d) Entrance during exercise of authority.--Counties of the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class may not, in the exercise of any authority or duty conferred in this chapter, enter upon any road or property of any city or borough of or adjacent to the county or act in derogation of the lawful authority of such political subdivision, except with the proper consent of such political subdivision.

(e) Obstruction prohibited.--Bridges provided under this chapter may not obstruct any canal or railroad, and nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to release any railroad or other public utility from the requirements of existing law.