This bill amends the Code of West Virginia to establish the Orphan Road and Bridge Improvement Program, which focuses on the upgrading and maintenance of orphan roads. It introduces new definitions, including "orphan road," which refers to roads open to public travel but not maintained by any governmental entity or private owner. The bill outlines a process for homeowners' associations or similar entities to upgrade these roads at their own expense, provided they enter into a road maintenance agreement with the West Virginia Division of Highways. This agreement must include construction standards, inspection requirements, and proof of legal access, among other stipulations.

Additionally, the bill allows for the inspection and certification of upgraded roads by the Division of Highways, which, upon meeting the necessary standards, will accept the roads into the state road system for maintenance. The bill also includes provisions for rulemaking by the Division to implement these changes. Notably, it repeals previous sections related to the orphan roads and bridges program that are no longer applicable, streamlining the process and focusing on the improvement and maintenance of these roads.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 17-2C-1, 17-2C-2, 17-2C-3, 17-2C-4, 17-2C-5, 17-2C-6