Chapter 5529 | Roadside Improvements

Section
Section 5529.01 \| Lands vacated or abandoned available as roadside parks. Effective: September 17, 1996 Latest Legislation: House Bill 572 - 121st General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF When the director of transportation, in the construction, maintenance, or repair of a road on the state highway system outside the limits of municipal corporations, relocates the road or relocates or constructs a bridge, culvert, underpass, overpass, or other structure or improvement, the highway or portion thereof from which it is proposed to divert the travel shall not thereby be deemed to be vacated or abandoned, nor shall the title or easement of the state therein be vacated or abandoned, but shall remain in effect until the road or portion thereof is vacated or otherwise disposed of. Such highway portion not vacated or abandoned shall be available to the director for use as roadside parks, for the benefit of the traveling public, or such other use as may be incident to the construction, maintenance, and repair of the system.
Section 5529.02 \| Reopen closed weigh stations for commercial motor vehicle parking. Effective: June 30, 2021 Latest Legislation: House Bill 74 - 134th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF (A) As used in this section, "weigh station" means a weigh station to which both of the following apply: (1) The weigh station is under either the department of transportation's or the department of public safety's control and jurisdiction. (2) The weigh station was permanently closed prior to the effective date of this section. (B) The department of transportation in conjunction with the Ohio state highway patrol shall reopen two closed Ohio weigh stations for use as commercial motor vehicle parking in each year, beginning in 2021 and ending in 2024, for a total of eight. The director of transportation shall ensure that each such weigh station remains open and is clearly marked as being for overnight parking only and not for standard weight checks. Last updated April 13, 2021 at 4:38 PM
Section 5529.03 \| Acquiring land for rest and recreation areas and sanitary and other facilities. Effective: June 29, 2001 Latest Legislation: House Bill 73 - 124th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF (A)(1) The director of transportation may acquire by gift, purchase, or appropriation, any interest, estate, or right in and to real property adjacent to highways of this state as necessary for the restoration, preservation, and enhancement of scenic beauty adjacent to those highways, or for the establishment of publicly owned and controlled rest and recreation areas and sanitary and other facilities within or adjacent to the right-of-way of those highways to accommodate the traveling public. Nothing in this section authorizes the director to appropriate fee simple title to real property further than three hundred feet from the nearest edge of the highway right-of-way. (2) Division (A)(1) of this section does not apply to the purchase or appropriation of any interest in property under section 5501.31 of the Revised Code that is required for land to replace wetlands or to the purchase of property under that section to replace, preserve, or conserve any environmental resource. (B) The director may convey or lease any such property adjacent to the highway right-of-way to any person or entity in the manner and subject to such reservations, conditions, covenants, or other contractual arrangements as the director determines will not substantially interfere with the scenic character or beauty of the area traversed by the highway. (C) The director may employ consulting engineers and enter into contracts for consulting engineering services with any qualified person or firm to prepare plans and estimates and generally supervise the construction and landscaping for scenic enhancement and roadside beautification projects, and in the awarding of such contracts compliance with sections 5501.17 and 5525.01 of the Revised Code is not required. (D) Any instrument by which real property is acquired pursuant to this section shall identify the agency of the state that has the use and benefit of the real property as specified in section 5301.012 of the Revised Code.
Section 5529.04 \| Implementing federal highway beautification act of 1965. Effective: September 28, 1973 Latest Legislation: House Bill 200 - 110th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF The director of transportation may enter into agreements with the secretary of commerce of the United States as provided by "Federal Highway Beautification Act of 1965," 79 Stat. 1028, 23 U.S.C. 319, relating to landscaping, scenic enhancement, or the establishment of publicly owned and controlled rest and recreation areas and sanitary and other facilities necessary to accommodate the traveling public in areas within or adjacent to federal-aid highways within this state.
Section 5529.05 \| License plate fees used for roadside park construction and maintenance. Effective: January 1, 2018 Latest Legislation: House Bill 26 - 132nd General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF The fees levied, charged, or referred to in sections 4503.40 and 4503.42 of the Revised Code shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the highway operating fund created by section 5735.051 of the Revised Code, and shall be used to construct, reconstruct, maintain, and repair public roadside park areas, to provide for beautification projects along the state highway system, and to implement sections 5529.03 and 5529.06 of the Revised Code.
Section 5529.06 \| Maintenance of roadside rest areas. Effective: July 1, 1989 Latest Legislation: House Bill 381 - 118th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF (A) The director of transportation shall develop and implement a program for improving the roadside rest area system along highways of the interstate system and the primary system. Each sanitary facility in the roadside rest area system on the interstate system and at selected locations on the primary system that is upgraded shall have potable water, water flush toilets, and wash basins equipped with running water for the use of the traveling public, in accordance with standards developed by the department of transportation as approved by the appropriate state and federal agencies. (B) The director shall provide that each sanitary facility in a roadside rest area be kept clean and maintained in a sanitary condition. (C) The director shall provide for beautification projects along the state highway system.
Section 5529.07 \| Interstate rest area flags. Effective: March 22, 2013 Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 222 - 129th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF (A) The director of transportation shall display the following flags at each rest area that is along the interstate system located within this state: (1) The flag of the United States; (2) The flag of Ohio; (3) The flag that depicts the profile of a prisoner of war against the background of a prisoner of war camp watchtower, commonly known as the POW/MIA flag. (B) In purchasing flags to comply with division (A) of this section, the director shall, to the maximum extent possible, conform to the preference requirements of sections 125.09 and 125.11 of the Revised Code and all rules adopted under those sections to ensure the purchase and use of products made in Ohio and the United States.
Section 5529.08 \| Memorial markers listing POWS/MIAS at any improved roadside rest area. Effective: September 29, 1992 Latest Legislation: House Bill 286 - 119th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF At any improved roadside rest area along highways of the interstate systems or the primary system, the names of Ohio residents who are listed by the United States department of defense as prisoners of war or missing in action from the Korean conflict or the Vietnam conflict may be memorialized by means of an appropriate marker listing all such persons. The design, size, and specific placement of the markers, in accordance with section 5913.30 of the Revised Code, shall be subject to the approval of the director of transportation.
Section 5529.11 \| Planting trees and shrubs may be permitted. Effective: September 28, 1973 Latest Legislation: House Bill 200 - 110th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF The director of transportation may, by a permit in writing, authorize the owners of property adjoining inter-county and state highways, at their own expense, to locate and plant trees and shrubs along such highways, subject to his approval as to kind, size, and location. The county engineer shall have the same authority on county roads and the board of township trustees on township roads.
Section 5529.12 \| Tree planting. Effective: September 28, 1973 Latest Legislation: House Bill 200 - 110th General Assembly PDF: Download Authenticated PDF The director of transportation, board of county commissioners, board of township trustees, or other proper officials, may, as a part of the plans or specifications for a proposed improvement, provide for the planting of trees or shrubbery along or upon the public highway embraced within the proposed improvement. Such officials may provide for the planting of trees or shrubbery along any public highway.