Title 54, Highways, Bridges And Ferries

The department is directed to expand its interstate highway marking program by erecting and maintaining signs denoting Tennessee-owned historic sites, the signs to indicate the exit providing the closest and most direct access to the facility.

Tennessee-owned historic sites not currently marked are or will become eligible for interstate directional signs only if they are located within ten (10) miles of an interstate highway and if they are open to the public on a year-round basis.

The department is directed to mark the appropriate exit to eligible facilities by erecting two (2) identifying signs of a size and color suitable for ready observation by the motorist on the interstate highway. The first of these signs shall be placed a proper distance before the…

The departments of education, and environment and conservation, and the Tennessee historical commission are directed to cooperate with and to assist the department of transportation by advising the department concerning those historic sites that are or shall become eligible for i…

(1) It may be the duty of the department to implement a directional signing program for all institutions of higher learning, state colleges of applied technology, and state-operated special schools throughout the state, as follows:(1) (A) Institutions that are located within ten …

(a) Notwithstanding any other law or rule and regulation to the contrary, the department of transportation is directed to implement a directional signing program on the state's state and federal highways denoting wildlife management areas, wildlife refuges and state lakes, establ…

(1) The department is directed to implement a directional signing program on the state's section of the national system of interstate and defense highways denoting airports located not more than ten (10) miles from the highway as follows:(1) All such airports providing service to…

(a) The construction of modern highways is necessary to promote public safety, facilitate the movement of present day motor traffic, both interstate and intrastate in character, and to promote the national defense, and in the construction of the highways it is also in the public …

(1) As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Betterment” means any upgrading of the facility being relocated that is not attributable to the highway construction and is made solely for the benefit of, and at the election of, the utility;(2) “Commissioner” …

(a) The commissioner may by order, after notice and hearing, provide for the relocation of utility facilities within a public highway, including, if required, the entire removal from the public highway of certain facilities except as necessary to serve abutting premises or as nec…

(a) The commissioner is authorized to reimburse a utility for the cost of relocation, and to include the cost as a highway construction project cost, where the cost of relocation arises from the relocation of a utility facility located on a public highway right-of-way and the hig…

(a) All hearings held under this part shall be public and upon not less than a fifteen-day written notice of the time, place and purpose of the hearing to each utility whose services or facilities may be affected, and to each municipality in which any part of the proposed highway…

(a) The policy, principles and reimbursement provisions of this part shall apply equally to all other utilities, whether public, private or cooperatively owned, that furnish utility service including, but not limited to, water, electric power, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, steam, …

(1) This part shall not apply to:(1) Any taking or damaging of property for which the utility is entitled to compensation pursuant to the constitution of this state or the United States or pursuant to any binding agreement inuring to the utility's benefit; and(2) Any relocation o…

The general assembly declares that it is the purpose of this section and §§ 54-5-852 — 54-5-856 to regulate the removal, relocation, or adjustment of utility facilities occupying rights-of-way of highways when construction by the department makes removal, relocation, or adjustmen…

(1) As used in § 54-5-851, this section and §§ 54-5-853 — 54-5-856, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Approximate vertical and horizontal locations of underground utility facilities” means the depth below the existing ground line in accordance with the best information a…

(a) Before beginning construction, the department shall identify and notify the owners of utility facilities that occupy or may occupy the rights-of-way of all highways described in the notice on which construction is proposed to be performed either by certified mail, return rece…

(a) When the department is informed of the existence of utility facilities pursuant to § 54-5-853, it shall provide each owner with a set of complete project plans either by providing the owner with a paper copy or a digital copy. The plans may be transmitted by hand delivery or …

(a) In the event the department does not notify the owner by certified mail of the approved plan and schedule of calendar days and date for beginning installation, relocation or adjustment within six (6) months after their submission, then the owner shall be allowed to submit a r…

The department's resident engineer shall act as liaison between the owner and the department's contractor on any project to which §§ 54-5-851 — 54-5-855 and this section are applicable.