The bill amends section 18 of the 1909 PA 283, which pertains to the management of public highways and private roads in Michigan. It removes outdated language concerning the approval process for state rewards related to county roads and introduces new provisions that simplify the process for county road commissioners to abandon or discontinue roads. Specifically, the bill allows these commissioners to make abandonment decisions on their own motion, contingent upon holding a public hearing and notifying affected parties. It also clarifies petition requirements for road abandonment, mandating signatures from all abutting property owners and a certified list of those owners, while establishing a priority system for retaining roads that provide public access to lakes or streams.

Additionally, the bill outlines procedures for managing state property that may be abandoned or transferred to local governments or adjacent property owners. It stipulates that proceeds from the sale of state-purchased property using restricted fund revenue must return to that fund, and local governments receiving such property must maintain it for public access or allow it to revert to adjoining landowners. The bill also requires the board of county road commissioners to determine that highway abandonment serves the public interest and to record resolutions in the county's register of deeds. Furthermore, it provides a framework for addressing noncompliance with property maintenance, enabling circuit courts to impose closures on non-compliant road endings and allowing adjacent landowners to petition for property interests if a road ending is closed.

Statutes affected:
House Introduced Bill: 224.18