(a) The commissioner unless and until otherwise directed by act of the General Assembly, shall maintain and operate the Bulkeley Bridge and the Founders Bridge for vehicular traffic free of tolls.

(b) At such time as the bonds that were issued in accordance with subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 13a-176 have been retired, the commissioner may, subject to approval by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, maintain and operate the Captain John Bissell Bridge for vehicular traffic free of tolls if it becomes necessary to satisfy conditions stipulated by the United States Department of Transportation for federal-aid highway participation in the implementation of necessary improvements to the Captain John Bissell Bridge and to its approaches.

(c) The commissioner may, subject to approval by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, maintain and operate the Charter Oak Bridge for vehicular traffic free of tolls at such time as certain related safety projects collectively called the “Greater Hartford Safety Improvements Program” as presently written or subsequently amended have been implemented or at any earlier time when, in the opinion of the Commissioner of Transportation, such maintenance and operation free of tolls is necessary to satisfy the United States Department of Transportation conditions for federal-aid highway participation in such implementation.

(d) At such time as the bonds that were issued in accordance with subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 13a-176 have been retired, the commissioner may, subject to approval by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, maintain and operate the Putnam Bridge for vehicular traffic free of tolls if it becomes necessary to satisfy conditions stipulated by the United States Department of Transportation for federal-aid highway participation in the extension of Connecticut Route 3 approaches to the bridge from the vicinity of Naubuc Avenue in Glastonbury to Connecticut Route 2 in the vicinity of the Glastonbury-East Hartford town line.

(1959, P.A. 132, S. 11(f); 1963, P.A. 226, S. 157; 1969, P.A. 182, S. 2; P.A. 74-342, S. 18, 43; P.A. 79-562; P.A. 81-67, S. 4, 5, 7; P.A. 91-407, S. 4, 42.)

History: 1963 act replaced previous provisions: See title history; 1969 act clarified limitations on tolls for use of Bissell, Charter Oak and Putnam bridges; P.A. 74-342 deleted amendments enacted in 1969 allowing charge of toll only until parallel bridges are constructed and open and allowed toll to be maximum charge which will not discourage use of bridges; P.A. 79-562 divided section into subsections and replaced previous provisions re charging and ceasing to charge tolls with provision that tolls are to be charged until bonds issued under Sec. 13a-176(a)(3) are retired or until tolls violate conditions for federal-aid highway funds, and added Subsecs. (d) and (e); P.A. 81-67 added Subsec. (f) which set the tolls on the toll bridges at $0.35 for passenger vehicles and $0.30 per axle for commercial vehicles; P.A. 91-407 deleted Subsecs. (b) and (f) re tolls for toll bridges and relettered remaining Subsecs.