(1) There is hereby created a highway maintenance division in the department of transportation. The executive director shall appoint the director of the division, and either the executive director, the director of the division, or another designee of the executive director shall appoint other necessary staff of the division in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of article XII of the state constitution.

(2) The highway maintenance division and the director of the division shall exercise their powers and perform their duties and functions under the department and the executive director as if the same were transferred to the department by a type 2 transfer, as such transfer is defined in the "Administrative Organization Act of 1968", article 1 of title 24, C.R.S.

(3) Whenever the chief engineer is authorized to enter into contracts or agreements, the contracts or agreements must be executed in the name of the department of transportation, state of Colorado, by the chief engineer, or his or her designee. Whenever the chief engineer is authorized to acquire or convey real or personal property, title thereto must be acquired or conveyed in the name of the department of transportation, state of Colorado, and all such conveyances must be executed by the chief engineer, or his or her designee. All suits or proceedings brought by or against the chief engineer must be in the name of the department of transportation, state of Colorado.

(4) It is the duty of the director of the highway maintenance division, in the administration of the division, to organize the division so that all division employees so far as possible, are interchangeable in work assignment and may be shifted within the division to meet seasonal and emergency demands.