Title 23, Title 23

1. Purchase. Where a proposed highway project cannot proceed to actual construction because replacement housing is not available to displaced persons and cannot otherwise be made available, the department on behalf of the State of Maine may acquire by purchase such real property …

1. Acquisition of property. The Department of Transportation, on behalf of the State, may take over and hold for the State such property as it determines necessary to: A. Lay out and establish, construct, improve or maintain, provide a change of location or alignment of or provid…

1. Acquisition of property. If the Department of Transportation prepares an environmental impact statement as required by the federal National Environmental Protection Act of 1969 for permitting for the location of a new bypass highway project and property will be affected by the…

If the department determines that public exigency requires the taking of property or any interest in property, or is unable to purchase a property or any interest in a property, or the necessary ways and access to a property at what it considers a reasonable valuation, or if the …

Any decrease or increase in the fair market value of real property prior to the date of valuation caused by the public improvement for which such property is acquired, or by the likelihood that the property would be acquired for such improvement, other than that due to physical d…

In no event shall the department either advance the time of condemnation, or defer negotiations or condemnation or take any other action coercive in nature, in order to compel an agreement on the price to be paid for property or property rights.

If the acquisition of only a portion of a property would leave the owner of record with an uneconomic remnant the department may, or at the request of the owner shall, acquire by purchase or condemnation the entire property. An uneconomic remnant is a parcel of real property in w…

No person lawfully occupying real property shall be required to move from a dwelling or move his business or farm operation without at least 90 days written notice from the department of the date by which such move is required. [PL 1971, c. 593, §22 (AMD).] Any person displaced b…

Payment to tenants of record shall be made by the department pursuant to this section for any building, structure or other improvement which is owned by the tenant. The tenant shall be paid the fair market value which the building, structure or improvement contributes to the fair…

In determining just compensation where special benefits are found, the owner or owners of record shall be compensated at least for the fair market value of the property and any rights or interest therein taken.

The department shall have 60 days from the date of taking within which to negotiate with the owner or owners of record for an agreement as to the amount of just compensation. If within that time the owner rejects the State's offer of just compensation, such owner may apply to the…

The State Claims Commission shall immediately enter the petition of the department upon its docket and assign a date for hearing at the earliest possible date. The chairman of the board shall assign no more than 3 members of the board for hearings, one of whom shall be an apprais…

The Department of Transportation or any party or parties aggrieved by an award by the State Claims Commission may appeal to the Superior Court in the county where the land is situated within 30 days from the date of issuance of the commission award. This appeal is de novo and is …

If difficult questions of law should arise before the State Claims Commission as to entitlement to or apportionment of just compensation, then it is authorized to make a blanket award to all parties interested. If no appeal is taken and no agreement is reached by the parties name…

Any property taken or acquired for highway purposes may be leased, let or rented by the department to a displaced person pending advantageous use for highway purposes. The department may renovate and maintain property pending such advantageous use. The proceeds from leasing, lett…

1. Reimbursement. When the department acquires real or personal property for transportation purposes, the department is not required to pay any taxes or assessments on that property. The department, as soon as practicable after the date of payment of just compensation, shall reim…

The commissioner shall, subject to the Civil Service Law, appoint a civil engineer as chief engineer.

The prompt and equitable relocation and reestablishment of persons, businesses, farm operations and nonprofit organizations displaced as a result of state or state aid highway projects are necessary to insure that a few individuals do not suffer disproportionate injuries as a res…

As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms shall have the following meanings. [PL 1979, c. 541, Pt. A, §158 (AMD).] 1. Average annual net earnings. 2. Business. "Business" shall mean any lawful activity, excepting a farm operation cond…

1. Relocation assistance advisory program. Whenever the acquisition of real property for a department program or project will result in the displacement of any person, the department shall provide a relocation assistance advisory program for displaced persons which shall offer th…

1. Payments. Whenever a program or project to be undertaken by the department will result in the displacement of any person, the department shall make a payment to any displaced person, upon proper application on forms approved by the department, for: A. Actual reasonable expense…

1. Owner. In addition to payments otherwise authorized, the department shall make an additional payment not in excess of the amount allowed under the federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, Public Law 91-646, as amended, to any di…

In addition to amounts otherwise authorized by this subchapter, the department shall make a payment to or for any displaced person displaced from any dwelling not eligible to receive a payment under section 244‑A which dwelling was actually and lawfully occupied by the displaced …

1. Expenditures for replacement dwellings. If a program or project undertaken by the department cannot proceed on a timely basis because comparable replacement dwellings are not available, and the department determines that those dwellings cannot otherwise be made available, the …

The department shall carry out the functions of this subchapter either with its personnel or through any federal, state or municipal agency having an established organization for conducting relocation assistance programs; and is authorized and empowered to make all contracts and …

If the department deems a hardship case exists, it may make any payment authorized by this subchapter in whole or in part to the displaced person affected in advance of moving, conveying or other acquisition of title or possession by the State.

The department may adopt guidelines and procedures, or promulgate rules consistent with this subchapter as it determines necessary or appropriate to carry out this subchapter and to include the standards of "decent, safe and sanitary."

1. State Claims Commission. If the department is unable to negotiate any payment authorized under section 244, subsection 1, paragraph A, or section 244‑A, subsection 1, at what it deems to be a reasonable amount, either the department or the displaced person, or both, may apply …

Nothing contained in this subchapter shall be construed as creating in any eminent domain proceeding an element of damages not in existence on the date of enactment hereof. [PL 1971, c. 333, §1 (NEW).] Any payments authorized under this subchapter and received by a displaced pers…

The Department of Transportation, referred to in this chapter as "the department," may from time to time make and shall enforce rules and regulations relating to the planning, design, engineering, construction, improvement, maintenance and use of transportation infrastructure. Th…

1. Classification. The department shall cause charts and maps to be made showing the location and mileage of all highways in the State, and shall classify the highways of the State, and may, from time to time, amend that classification, namely: First, state highways, which mean a…

1. Classification. The department may lay out, establish, acquire, open, construct, improve, maintain, discontinue and regulate as a state highway seasonal access road roads to public recreational areas which shall be classified "seasonal parkways." 2. Limitations. Such public hi…

Wherever highways maintained by the State are affected, whether the highways are situated in cities, towns or plantations, the department has all and the same rights, powers and duties in connection therewith as are granted to cities in city streets by sections 3351 to 3359, and …

The department may appoint any person in its employ whose special duty it shall be to enforce the statutes and orders promulgated thereunder which prohibit or restrict the passage of vehicles and trailers over ways and bridges, or designated sections thereof, under such condition…

"Title 23, United States Code," and all other Acts amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto, are assented to. The Department of Transportation is authorized and empowered to accept, for the State, federal funds apportioned under said code as amended and supplemented, to act f…

The Department of Transportation is authorized and empowered to accept for the State funds from one or more private parties for transportation improvement needs generated by development. Such funds must be segregated and held in an account to be used as agreed by the parties. The…

The department is authorized and empowered to obtain from the Federal Government or any agency thereof, through purchase or gift, supplies, materials and equipment which is adaptable to highway maintenance and construction. Such supplies, materials and equipment may be sold, leas…

The department is authorized to cooperate with the Federal Government in formulating and adopting a uniform system of numbering or designating roads of interstate character within this State, and in the selection and erection of uniform danger signals and safety devices for the p…

Towns are authorized to enter into agreements with the Department of Transportation for the expenditure of town funds for maintenance and repair of town roads. The department is authorized, when requested by towns, to accept town funds for expenditure under its direction.

1. Land acquired may be vacated. The Department of Transportation may vacate any land or part of land or rights in land which have been taken or acquired for transportation purposes by executing and recording a deed, and that action shall vest the title to the lands or rights so …

Whenever the department shall establish and locate or change the location of a state highway or state aid highway, or any town shall establish and locate or change the location of a highway that was designated as a 3rd class highway at the time that the 3rd class highway designat…

1. Confidential records. The following records in the possession of the department and the Maine Turnpike Authority are confidential and may not be disclosed, except as provided in this section: A. Records and correspondence relating to negotiations for and appraisals of property…

The department shall cause complaint to be entered against any offender of section 3252, when the way obstructed or affected by the obstruction is maintained by the State. The forfeitures recovered in such cases shall be paid to the Treasurer of State for the use of the State Hig…

The Policy Committees as established to carry out comprehensive transportation planning activities in urbanized areas are authorized to receive and administer Federal and State Transportation Planning Funds for such planning activities. Said Policy Committees may contract with va…

1. Short title. This section may be known and cited as the "Sensible Transportation Policy Act." 2. Purposes and findings. The people of the State find that decisions regarding the State's transportation network are vital to the well-being of Maine citizens, to the economic healt…

1. Purpose; membership. The Commissioner of Transportation shall establish a freight transportation advisory council to facilitate discussion and provide insight into issues pertaining to freight transportation in the State. The commissioner shall invite no fewer than 9 people fr…