SENATE BILL No. 1050

 

 

June 6, 2018, Introduced by Senators STAMAS, HORN, KNEZEK, HANSEN and SCHMIDT and referred to the Committee on Energy and Technology.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1925 PA 368, entitled

 

"An act to prohibit obstructions and encroachments on public

highways, to provide for the removal thereof, to prescribe the

conditions under which telegraph, telephone, power, and other

public utility companies, cable television companies and

municipalities may enter upon, construct and maintain telegraph,

telephone, power or cable television lines, pipe lines, wires,

cables, poles, conduits, sewers and like structures upon, over,

across or under public roads, bridges, streets and waters and to

provide penalties for the violation of this act,"

 

by amending the title and sections 13 and 14 (MCL 247.183 and

 

247.184), section 13 as amended by 2005 PA 103.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

TITLE

 

     An act to prohibit obstructions and encroachments on public

 

highways; , to provide for the removal thereof, of obstructions and

 

encroachments on public highways; to prescribe the conditions under

 

which telegraph, telephone, power, and other public utility

 


companies, cable television companies, broadband companies, and

 

municipalities may enter upon, construct, and maintain telegraph,

 

telephone, power, or cable television, lines, or broadband lines,

 

pipe lines, wires, cables, poles, conduits, sewers, and like

 

structures upon, over, across, or under public roads, bridges,

 

streets, and waters; and to provide prescribe penalties for the

 

violation of this act.and provide remedies.

 

     Sec. 13. (1) Except as otherwise provided under subsection

 

(2), telegraph, telephone, power, and other public utility

 

companies, cable television companies, broadband companies, and

 

municipalities may enter upon, construct, and maintain telegraph,

 

telephone, or power lines, pipe lines, wires, cables, poles,

 

conduits, sewers or similar structures upon, over, across, or under

 

any public road, bridge, street, or public place, including,

 

longitudinally within limited access highway rights-of-way, and

 

across or under any of the waters in this state, with all necessary

 

erections and fixtures for that purpose. A telegraph, telephone,

 

power, and other public utility company, cable television company,

 

broadband company, and municipality, before any of this work is

 

commenced, shall first obtain the consent of the governing body of

 

the city, village, or township through or along which these lines

 

and poles are to be constructed and maintained.

 

     (2) A utility as defined in 23 CFR 645.105(m) 645.105 may

 

enter upon, construct, and maintain utility lines and structures,

 

including pipe lines, longitudinally within limited access highway

 

rights-of-way and under any public road, street, or other

 

subsurface that intersects any limited access highway at a


different grade, in accordance with standards approved by the state

 

transportation commission and the Michigan public service

 

commission that conform to governing federal laws and regulations

 

and is not required to obtain the consent of the governing body of

 

the city, village, or township as required under subsection (1).

 

The standards shall require that the lines and structures be

 

underground and be placed in a manner that will not increase

 

highway maintenance costs for the state transportation department.

 

The standards may provide for the imposition of a reasonable charge

 

for longitudinal use of limited access highway rights-of-way. The

 

imposition of a reasonable charge is a governmental function,

 

offsetting a portion of the capital, maintenance, and permitting

 

expense of the limited access highway, and is not a proprietary

 

function. The charge shall be calculated to reflect a 1-time

 

installation permit fee that shall not exceed $1,000.00 per mile of

 

longitudinal use of limited access highway rights-of-way with a

 

minimum fee of $5,000.00 per permit. If the 1-time installation

 

permit fee does not cover the reasonable and actual costs to the

 

department in issuing the permit, the department may assess the

 

utility for the remaining balance. All revenue received under this

 

subsection shall be used for capital and maintenance expenses

 

incurred for limited access highways, including the cost of issuing

 

the permit.

 

     (3) A person engaged in the collection of traffic data or the

 

provision of travel-related information or assistance may enter

 

upon, construct, and maintain electronic devices and related

 

structures within limited access and other highway rights-of-way in


accordance with standards approved by the state transportation

 

commission that conform to governing federal laws and regulations.

 

The standards shall require that the devices and structures be

 

placed in a manner that will not impede traffic and will not

 

increase maintenance costs for the state transportation department.

 

The state transportation department may enter into agreements to

 

authorize the use of property acquired for or designated as a

 

highway or acquired for or designated for ancillary purposes for

 

the installation, operation, and maintenance of commercial or

 

noncommercial electronic devices and related structures for the

 

collection of traffic data or to assist in providing travel-related

 

information or assistance to motorists who subscribe to travel-

 

related services, the public, or the department. Any revenue

 

generated by the agreements shall be deposited in the state trunk

 

line fund. The department may accept facilities or in-kind services

 

to be used for public purposes in lieu of, or in addition to,

 

monetary compensation.

 

     Sec. 14. (1) In case it is proposed A person that proposes to

 

construct a telegraph, telephone, power line or cable television

 

line, broadband line, pipe lines, wires, cables, poles, conduits,

 

sewers, or like structures upon, over or under a county road or

 

bridge, shall obtain the consent of the board of county road

 

commissioners shall be obtained before the commencing work. of such

 

construction shall be commenced; and in case it is proposed

 

     (2) A person that proposes to construct a telegraph,

 

telephone, power line, cable television line, broadband line, pipe

 

line, wires, cables, poles, conduits, sewers or like structures,


upon, over or under a state trunk line highway, or upon, over or

 

under any bridge that the this state has participated in

 

constructing, shall obtain the consent of the state highway

 

commissioner shall be obtained before the commencing work. of such

 

construction shall be commenced.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days

 

after the date it is enacted into law.