This bill allows municipalities to request easements from the Department of Transportation for the purpose of laying sidewalks alongside class I, II, III, or IV roads. The Department has 90 days to approve the request and grant the easement, or deny the request and provide written findings for the denial. If the Department does not act within the 90-day period, the municipality is granted the easement by default. The municipality is responsible for the construction costs and maintenance of the sidewalk.
The fiscal impact of this bill is indeterminable, as there is little historical data available regarding municipal requests for sidewalk easements. However, if the Department were to impact any easement conveyed under this bill during future expansion or alteration of the respective highway, the Department would have to compensate the municipality for the easement acquired without compensation.