Chapter 5521 | Municipal And County Cooperation

Section 5521.01 | Establishment and improvement of state highways within municipal corporation.

• Effective: April 5, 2001
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 295 - 123rd General Assembly

The director of transportation, upon the request by and the approval of the legislative authority of a village, shall maintain, repair, and apply standard longitudinal pavement marking lines as the director considers appropriate, or may establish, construct, reconstruct, improve, or widen any section of a state highway within the limits of a village. The director also may erect regulatory and warning signs, as defined in the manual adopted under section 4511.09 of the Revised Code, on any section of a state highway within the limits of a village. The director may establish, construct, reconstruct, improve, widen, maintain, or repair any section of state highway within the limits of a city, including the elimination of railway grade crossings, and pay the entire or any part of the cost and expense thereof from state funds, but in all cases the director first shall obtain the consent of the legislative authority of the municipal corporation, except that the director need not obtain the consent of the municipal corporation if the existing highway being changed or the location of an additional highway being established was not within the corporate limits of the municipal corporation at the time the director determines the establishment or change should be made, or if the director is acting pursuant to section 5501.49 of the Revised Code.

Except as provided in section 5501.49 of the Revised Code, when in the opinion of the director there is urgent need to establish a state highway, which is to be designated a federal aid highway, or a federal aid interstate highway within a municipal corporation or, in the opinion of the director, any federal aid highway or interstate federal aid highway is in urgent need of repair, reconstruction, widening, improvement, or relocation, so as to accommodate the traveling public, the director shall submit a written request to the legislative authority of the municipal corporation for its consent to the desired establishment or improvement. The legislative authority, within sixty days after the written request has been received from the director, either shall grant its consent to the establishment or improvement or refuse consent by filing in writing with the director a statement of its reasons for refusing consent and any alternate proposals it considers reasonable. If the legislative authority fails to act or refuses consent, the director, upon consideration of the reasons for rejection, may make a resolution declaring the necessity of the establishment or improvement, and then proceed in the same manner as if consent had been given. A certified copy of the resolution shall be served upon the municipal legislative authority, which, within twenty days from the date of service, may appeal to the court of common pleas of the county in which the municipal corporation is situated, upon the reasonableness and necessity of the action provided for in the resolution. In the hearing upon appeal, the director shall introduce the record of the director's proceedings, including the director's findings with respect to factors referred to in section 5521.011 of the Revised Code, and such other competent evidence as the director desires in support of the director's resolution, and the municipality likewise may introduce competent evidence opposing the resolution, and findings. The court may affirm or revoke the resolution. The decision of the common pleas court may be appealed to the court of appeals and the supreme court as in other cases. If the court affirms the resolution, the director may proceed with the establishment or improvement with or without the cooperation of the municipal corporation. Any such municipal corporation may cooperate with the director in the work and pay such portion of the cost as is agreed upon between the municipal corporation and the director. The legislative authority of any municipal corporation desiring to cooperate, by resolution, may propose such cooperation to the director, and a copy of the resolution, which shall set forth the proportion of the cost and expense to be contributed by the municipal corporation, shall be filed with the director. The director shall cause to be prepared the necessary surveys, plans, profiles, cross sections, estimates, and specifications and shall file copies of them with the legislative authority of the municipal corporation. After the legislative authority has approved the surveys, plans, profiles, cross sections, estimates, and specifications, and after the municipal corporation has provided the funds necessary to meet the portion of the cost of the work assumed by it, the municipal corporation shall enter into a contract with the state providing for payment by the municipal corporation of the agreed portion of the cost. The form of the contract shall be prescribed by the attorney general, and such contracts shall be submitted to the director and approved before the receipt of bids. Section 5705.41 of the Revised Code applies to such contract to be made by the municipal corporation, and a duplicate of the certificate of the chief fiscal officer of the municipal corporation shall be filed in the office of the director. That part of the cost of the work assumed by the municipal corporation shall be paid from the proceeds of taxes or special assessments, or both, or from the proceeds of notes or bonds issued and sold in anticipation of the collection of the taxes and assessments. For the purpose of providing funds for the payment of that part of the cost of the work assumed by the municipal corporation, the municipal corporation has the same authority to make special assessments, levy taxes, and issue bonds or notes, in anticipation of the collection of the same, as it has with respect to improvements constructed under the sole supervision and control of the municipal corporation. All such assessments shall be made, taxes levied, and bonds or notes issued and sold under such conditions and restrictions as may be provided with respect to assessments, taxes, bonds, or notes made, levied, issued, or sold in connection with improvements of the same class and character constructed under the sole supervision and control of the municipal corporation. The improvement shall be constructed under the sole supervision of the director. The proportion of the cost and expense payable by the municipal corporation shall be paid by the proper officers thereof, upon the requisition of the director, and at times during the progress of the work as may be determined by the director or as may be otherwise provided by law.

Section 5521.011 | New highway locations.

• Effective: November 24, 1967
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 429 - 107th General Assembly

In determining new highway locations the director shall consider the following factors, wherever applicable, and include such considerations in the record of his proceedings: national defense; economic activity; employment; open spaces; existing park lands; recreation; fire protection; esthetics; public utilities; safety; residential character and location; religious institutions and practices; rights and freedoms of individuals; conduct and financing of government; conservation; property values; replacement housing; education and disruption of school district operations; specific numbers of families and businesses displaced; engineering, right-of-way, and construction costs for proposed highway facilities and related transportation facilities; maintenance of highway facilities and other transportation facilities; use of highways and other transportation facilities, and user costs; and operation of highway facilities and other transportation facilities during construction and following completion.

Documentation should cover the consideration given to each determinant, including a statement as to which were not considered significant as between alternatives.

Section 5521.02 | County co-operation in planning and construction.

• Effective: September 28, 1973
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 200 - 110th General Assembly

The board of county commissioners of any county may co-operate with the director of transportation in the elimination of railroad grade crossings on the state highway system, and in the construction or reconstruction of bridges and viaducts, together with the approaches thereto, and may pay such portion of the cost of any such work as is agreed upon between the board and the director. Such board may co-operate with the director in the preparation of comprehensive transportation and land use studies and major thoroughfare reports and in establishing, constructing, reconstructing, resurfacing, or widening a state highway, and it may, under such circumstances, pay any agreed portion of the cost of such work. Any board desiring to co-operate as provided in this section may, by resolution, propose such co-operation to the director, and a copy of such resolution, which shall set forth the proportion of the cost and expense to be contributed by such county, shall be filed with the director. Where any portion of the work covered by such proposal is within the limits of a municipal corporation, such proposal shall be accompanied by the consent of the municipal corporation to the doing of such work, evidenced by proper legislation of its legislative body, unless such consent has already been given to the director. The boards may co-operate with the director in the cost of obtaining right-of-way required for or in connection with any state highway improvement or repair contemplated by the director, and may pay any agreed proportion of the cost of such right-of-way. Unless expressly restricted, the authority granted to boards by this section to co-operate with the director shall extend to all portions of the state highway system, both within and without municipal corporations, subject to the condition that the consent of a municipal corporation be given to the performance of any work within its limits.

When the board or the legislative authority of a municipal corporation co-operate with the director and assume all or a part of the cost of establishing, constructing, reconstructing, resurfacing, or widening a state highway, such board or municipal authority may specially assess such portion of the cost assumed on behalf of the county or municipal corporation as is deemed proper. In making such assessments the board or municipal authority shall proceed in the manner provided for the levying of special assessments by the board of county commissioners or municipal authorities for road improvement.

The board or municipal authority may issue notes and bonds in anticipation of the collection of the special assessments provided for by this section as is provided with respect to special assessments for the construction of highway improvements under the sole authority and control of such board or municipal authorities.

Section 5521.03 | Proceedings when county and municipal corporation co-operate with director of transportation.

• Effective: September 28, 1973
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 200 - 110th General Assembly

Where the board of county commissioners, under authority of section 5521.02 of the Revised Code, co-operate with the director of transportation in any work within a municipal corporation, such board and the legislative authority of the municipal corporation may co-operate with respect to such work, and the legislative authority of the municipal corporation may assume and pay such portion of that part of the entire cost assumed in the first instance by the board as may be agreed upon between council and the board. In such event all of the proceedings involving such co-operation between the board and the municipal corporation shall be conducted under sections 5557.01 to 5557.08 of the Revised Code. The municipal corporation shall have the same authority to make special assessments, levy taxes, and issue and sell notes and bonds for the purpose of meeting that portion of the cost assumed by it, as is or may be granted to it with respect to improvements of the same character constructed under its exclusive jurisdiction and control. The municipal corporation shall, prior to the making by the board of the contract provided for by section 5521.05 of the Revised Code, provide and pay that portion of the cost assumed by it into the county treasury, to the credit of a special fund which shall be created for the construction of the improvement. The contract and certificate required of the board by section 5521.05 of the Revised Code shall embrace the funds furnished by the municipal corporation, which funds shall be disbursed upon the requisition of the director.

Section 5521.04 | Approval of proposal to co-operate.

• Effective: September 17, 1996
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 572 - 121st General Assembly

If the director of transportation approves the proposal to co-operate, the director shall certify such approval to the board of county commissioners or the municipal authorities so offering to co-operate. The director shall cause to be transmitted to the board or municipal authority copies of such maps, plans, profiles, specifications, and estimates as the director may prepare for the construction of the work covered by the proposal. Upon receipt of the maps, plans, profiles, specifications, and estimates for the proposed improvement, the board or municipal authority, by resolution, may adopt the same and provide for co-operation in the construction of the work. A certified copy of the resolution shall be transmitted to the director.

Section 5521.041 | Notice of change order or extra work contract.

• Effective: July 1, 1989
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 381 - 118th General Assembly

The director of transportation, after receipt of a resolution providing for cooperation in a project as provided in section 5521.04 of the Revised Code, shall not approve a change order or extra work contract relating to that project until he first gives notice, in writing, of the change order or extra work contract to the affected board of county commissioners or municipal authorities.

Section 5521.05 | Resolution requesting director to proceed with the work.

• Effective: September 28, 1973
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 200 - 110th General Assembly

If the board of county commissioners or municipal authority, after adopting the maps, plans, profiles, specifications, and estimates, are still of the opinion that the work should be constructed, and that they should co-operate upon the basis set forth in the proposal, such board or municipal authority shall adopt a resolution requesting the director of transportation to proceed with the work, and shall enter into a contract with the state providing for the payment by such county or municipal corporation of the agreed proportion of the cost and expense. The form of such contract shall be prescribed by the attorney general, and all such contracts shall be submitted to the attorney general and approved by him before the director may advertise for bids. All improvements upon which any county or municipal corporation may co-operate shall be constructed under the sole supervision of the director. The proportion of the cost and expense payable by the county or municipal corporation, shall be paid by the county treasurer or the treasurer of the municipal corporation upon the warrant of the county or municipal auditor, issued upon the requisition of the director. Upon completion of the improvement the director shall ascertain the exact cost and expense thereof and notify the board or municipal authority. Any balance, in the fund provided by such board or municipal authority, shall be returned to the county or municipal corporation.

Section 5521.06 | Purchase or appropriation of property by board of county commissioners or the legislative authority of a municipal corporation.

• Effective: September 28, 1973
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 200 - 110th General Assembly

Where the board of county commissioners or the legislative authority of a municipal corporation, under authority of sections 5521.02 and 5521.03 of the Revised Code, co-operate with the department of transportation, said board or municipal authority may purchase or appropriate such property as is needed, or pay damages, in the establishment, construction, reconstruction, resurfacing, widening, maintenance, repair, or preservation of state highways, including the bridges, culverts, and viaducts thereon, and the approaches thereto, and may purchase or appropriate the right to make waste dumps, borrow pits, and to relocate, alter, widen, clean out, deepen, straighten, or change the channel of any watercourse necessary for any of the above purposes, and the board or municipal authority shall follow the procedure specified for the director of transportation as set out in section 5501.31 and sections 5519.01 to 5519.04 of the Revised Code.

Section 5521.07 | Portion of cost paid into highway operating fund.

• Effective: July 1, 1985
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 201 - 116th General Assembly

In all cases in which the director of transportation desires to cooperate with the board of county commissioners or with any municipal corporation in the establishment, construction, reconstruction, widening, maintenance, repair, railway grade crossing elimination, or other improvement of any section or portion of a state highway, the director may, as a condition precedent to his extending such cooperation, require such county or municipal corporation to provide the portion of the cost of such improvement which it proposes to furnish, and to pay the cost into the state treasury to the credit of the highway operating fund. Such requirement may be prescribed by the director at any time after the board or legislative authority of the municipal corporation has, by resolution, proposed such cooperation, and when such requirement is prescribed, the director may not proceed with the improvement upon the cooperative basis proposed until such requirement is met.

Section 5521.08 | Disbursement of funds.

• Effective: July 1, 1985
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 201 - 116th General Assembly

The director of transportation shall make payments from the funds described in section 5521.07 of the Revised Code in such amounts and at such times as he determines during the progress of the work described in such section, and any surplus remaining after the work has been completed and the portion of the cost assumed by the county or municipal corporation has been fully paid shall be returned to the county or municipal corporation.

Section 5521.09 | Tax levy by county commissioners authorized.

• Effective: September 28, 1973
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 200 - 110th General Assembly

For the purpose of providing a fund for the payment of the county's proportion of the cost and expense of co-operating with the department of transportation, the board of county commissioners may levy a tax, not exceeding one and one-half mills, upon all taxable property of the county. The proceeds of such levy shall be used for the purpose of paying the county's proportion of the cost and expense of any work conducted by the department in co-operating with such county.

Section 5521.10 | Commissioners may sell bonds.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of county commissioners, in anticipation of the collection of the taxes provided for by section 5521.09 of the Revised Code, and in anticipation of the assessments which it is authorized to levy, may, whenever in its judgment it is deemed necessary, sell the bonds of said county in any amount not greater than the aggregate sum necessary to pay the share of the estimated compensation, damages, cost, and expense payable by the county, and by the owners of the lands assessed or to be assessed for such improvement. The aggregate amount of such bonds issued and outstanding at any one time, and to be redeemed by a tax levy upon the grand duplicate of the county, shall not be in excess of one per cent of the tax duplicate of such county. In computing such one per cent, bonds to be redeemed by special assessments shall not be taken into account. Bonds issued under this section shall state for what purpose issued and bear interest at such rate as is fixed by the board, payable semiannually, and in such amounts as to mature in not more than ten years after their issue, as the board determines. Prior to the issuance of such bonds the board shall provide for the levying of a tax upon all the taxable property of the county to cover any deficiency in the levy, payment, or collection of any special assessments anticipated by such bonds. The proceeds of such bonds shall be used exclusively for the payment of the cost and expense of the work for which the bonds are issued.

Section 5521.11 | Cities, counties, or townships not prohibited from making improvement.

• Effective: September 28, 1973
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 200 - 110th General Assembly

Chapters 5501., 5503., 5511., 5512., 5513., 5515., 5516., 5517., 5519., 5521., 5523., 5525., 5527., 5528., 5529., 5531., 5533., and 5535. of the Revised Code do not prohibit the board of county commissioners, at the expense of the county, or in co-operation with the board of township trustees, or municipal authorities, at the expense of the municipal corporation, or in co-operation with the board of township trustees, from constructing any part of the state highway system, or the bridges and culverts thereon, within such county, municipal corporation, or township. The plans and specifications covering any such proposed construction by the board of county commissioners, municipal authorities, or the board of township trustees shall be first submitted to the director of transportation and receive his approval. Any such construction shall be under the supervision and inspection of the director, his agents, or employees. The costs and expenses of such inspection and supervision shall be paid by the county or the municipal corporation as a part of the cost and expense of such construction. No estimate on account of any contract covering any such construction shall be paid until it has been first submitted to and approved by the director, or one of his deputies or engineers designated by him for that purpose.

Section 5521.12 | Advance purchase of right-of-way for cooperative projects.

• Effective: September 28, 1973
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 200 - 110th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may submit preliminary plans to the director of transportation for any project wherein co-operation between the municipal corporation and the state is contemplated ultimately under Chapter 5521. of the Revised Code. The director may give conditional approval to such project by the issuance of a letter of intent directed to the municipal corporation, and thereupon the municipal corporation may expend its own funds for detailed engineering plans and the acquisition of right-of-way for such project and shall be entitled to reimbursement therefor by the state in accordance with the conditions of such letter of intent upon the submission of satisfactory proof of the expenditure made, and that sufficient title has been acquired, and that such lands are necessary for the construction of the project. The reimbursement may be in the form of a credit against that portion of the cost of the project which is to be borne by the municipal corporation.

Section 5521.13 | Highway improvement projects proposed by political subdivision.

• Effective: April 11, 1991
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 737 - 118th General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, whenever a political subdivision submits to the director of transportation any documents, reports, plans, or other materials relating to a proposed highway improvement project on the state highway system or relating to a road construction or improvement in accordance with section 5535.15 of the Revised Code, the director shall review and approve such documents, reports, plans, or other materials within sixty days after the date of submission if all of the following apply:

(1) The entire cost of the project is to be funded privately or by a local subdivision;

(2) The documents, plans, reports, or other materials relating to the project comply with applicable design development criteria of the Ohio department of transportation and the federal highway administration;

(3) Except in regard to a project proposed under section 5535.15 of the Revised Code, the proposed project has been approved in concept by the appropriate local legislative authority.

(B) If the director of transportation determines that the materials submitted to him in connection with a proposed highway improvement project do not comply with criteria described in division (A)(2) of this section, he shall, within sixty days after the date the material was submitted for his review, give written notification of his determination to the person or political subdivision that submitted the materials, and specify in the notification the reasons for his determination.

(C) After receiving notification pursuant to division (B) of this section, the person or political subdivision shall, within thirty days, modify, revise, or submit such additional information as is necessary to rectify the deficiencies in the submissions cited by the director, and the director shall, within the next thirty days, review the revisions, modifications, and additional information submitted, and either approve the submissions or notify the person or political subdivision of the criteria described in division (A)(2) of this section that are not satisfied. The procedure established by this division shall be followed until the project is approved.

(D) The department may require a person or political subdivision to pay a fee for the department's review of materials submitted to it under this section. These fees shall be computed on a reasonable cost basis. Any money collected by the department pursuant to this section shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the highway operating fund.