(a) (1) All bonds issued under the authority of this chapter shall be dated, shall bear interest at such rate or rates, not exceeding 5 percent per annum, payable semiannually, shall mature at such time or times and may be made redeemable before maturity at such times and at such price or prices and under such terms and conditions as may be fixed by the Department prior to the issuance of the bonds.

(2) The principal of and the interest upon such bonds may be made payable in any lawful medium.

(3) The Department shall determine the form of the bonds, including any interest coupons to be attached thereto, and shall fix the denomination or denominations of the bonds and the place or places of payment of principal and interest thereof, which may be any bank or trust company within or without the State.

(4) a. The bonds shall be signed by the Secretary of Transportation and the Great Seal of the State or a facsimile thereof shall be affixed thereto and shall be attested by the Secretary of State and any coupons attached thereto shall bear the facsimile signature of the Secretary of Transportation.

b. In case any officer whose signature or facsimile thereof shall appear on any bonds or coupons shall cease to be such officer before the delivery of such bonds, such signature or facsimile shall, nevertheless, be valid for all purposes, as if the officer had remained in office until delivery.

(5) All bonds issued under this chapter shall have, and are declared to have, all the qualities and incidents of negotiable instruments under Title 6.

(6) Such bonds and the income therefrom shall be exempt from all taxation by the State or by any political subdivision, agency or authority thereof.

(7) a. The bonds may be issued in coupon or registered form, or both, as the Department may determine, and provision may be made for the registration of any coupon bond as to principal alone or as to both principal and interest, and for the reconversion of any bonds registered both as to principal and interest into coupon bonds.

b. The Department may exchange such bonds for bonds issued under 45 Del. Laws, c. 275, as amended, or issued under this chapter or may sell such bonds either at public or private sale in such manner and for such price as it may determine to be for the best interests of the State, but no such sale may be at a price so low as to require the payment of interest on money received therefor at more than 5 percent per annum, computed with relation to the absolute maturity of the bonds in accordance with standard tables of bond values.

(c) (1) The proceeds of such bonds, exclusive of accrued interest, shall be used solely for the purposes specified in the resolution of the Department authorizing the issuance thereof, or as set forth in the indenture securing their payment, which purposes may include redemption premiums, interest on bonds to be refunded to the redemption date or date of maturity thereof and all legal and other expenses of their issuance and shall be disbursed under such restrictions, if any, as said resolution or trust indenture may provide.

(2) The proceeds of such bonds shall at no time revert to the General Fund of the State Treasury but shall at all times be available to the Department for the aforesaid purposes, provided, however, that if the proceeds of the bonds of any issue shall exceed the amount required for the purpose or purposes for which such bonds are authorized to be issued, the surplus may be used for any purpose of the Department authorized in this chapter or for the payment of the principal of or interest on its outstanding bonds.

(d) (1) Prior to the preparation of definitive bonds the Department may issue temporary bonds with or without coupons, exchangeable for definitive bonds upon the issuance of the latter.

(2) The Department may also provide for the replacement of any bond which shall become mutilated or be destroyed or lost.

(3) Such bonds may be issued without any other proceedings or the happening of any other conditions or things than those proceedings, conditions and things which are specified and required by this chapter.

17 Del. C. 1953, § 415; 50 Del. Laws, c. 492, § 15; 57 Del. Laws, c. 671, §§ 3D, 3I; 60 Del. Laws, c. 503, § 19; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1.