27:16-1. County powers

409 words·~2 min read·/nj/title-27/chapter-16/27-16-1

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

The governing body of any county may:

a. Lay out and open such free public roads in the counties as it may deem useful for the accommodation of travel between two or more communities;

b. Acquire roads and highways, or portions thereof, within the limits of the county;

c. Widen, alter, straighten, and change the grade or location of any road or highway under its control, or any part thereof;

d. Improve, pave, repave, surface or resurface, repair and maintain any road or highway under its control, either in whole or in part;

e. Protect any road or highway under its control, or any part thereof, by the construction of sewers, drains, culverts, receiving basins, jetties, bulkheads, seawalls, or other means and devices, either in or on the road or highway or on land adjacent thereto;

f. Light, beautify and ornament any road or highway under its control, or any part thereof and, in any county where a county park commission does not exist, construct and maintain along any road or highway where it touches upon a navigable stream, a public park for recreation purposes, as well as public docks and wharves, but the cost of the park and docks and wharves shall not exceed $100,000;

g. Vacate any road or highway under its control, or any portion thereof, that may be unnecessary for public travel;

h. Lay out and open or acquire limited access highways as defined in section 1 of P.L. 1945, c. 83 (C. 27:7A-1) and subject to the terms of that law; and

i. For roads and highways under its control adopt an access management code which satisfies the standards embodied in the access code adopted by the Commissioner of Transportation under section 3 of the "State Highway Access Management Act," P.L. 1989, c. 32 (C. 27:7-91). This code shall comply with the provisions of the "State Highway Access Management Act," and provide reasonable access by abutting landowners to roads and highways.

Where any building or other structure has or shall have been erected or constructed upon any portion of a road or highway under its control, such portion of the road or highway may be vacated or the continuance of such building or structure in its location authorized for such period as may be deemed advisable, if the portion of such road or highway so occupied be declared by the board to be unnecessary for public travel.

Amended L. 1989, c. 32, s. 22.