Sec. 1. As used in this chapter:

(1) "Motor vehicle highway account" means the account of the general fund of the state known as the "motor vehicle highway account" to which is credited collections from motor vehicle registration fees, licenses, driver's and chauffeur's license fees, gasoline taxes, auto transfer fees, certificate of title fees, weight taxes or excise taxes and all other similar special taxes, duties or excises of all kinds on motor vehicles, trailers, motor vehicle fuel, or motor vehicle owners or operators. The account also includes amounts distributed to the fund by the bureau of motor vehicles under IC 9.

(2) The term "department" refers to the Indiana department of transportation.

(3) The term "highways" includes roadway, rights of way, bridges, drainage structures, signs, guard rails, protective structures in connection with highways, drains, culverts, and bridges and the substructure and superstructure of bridges and approaches thereto and streets and alleys of cities or towns.

(4) The term "construction" means the planning, supervising, inspecting, actual building, draining, and all expenses incidental to the construction of a highway.

(5) The term "reconstruction" means a widening or a rebuilding of the highway or any portion thereof.

(6) The term "maintenance" when used in reference to cities, towns, and counties as applied to that part of the highway other than bridges, means the constant making of needed repairs, to preserve a smooth surfaced highway, adequately drained, marked and guarded by protective structures for public safety and, as to bridges, means the constant making of needed repairs to preserve a smooth surfaced highway thereon and the safety and preservation of the bridge and its approaches, together with the substructure and superstructure thereof; and such term also means and includes the acquisition and use, in any manner, of all needed equipment, fuel, materials, and supplies essential and incident thereto.

(7) The term "preservation" means the preventative treatment, nonstructural treatment, rehabilitation, or structural repairs made to transportation infrastructure and related drainage that are included in an asset management plan approved by the Indiana department of transportation in collaboration with the local technical assistance program at Purdue University.

(8) The term "vehicle registration" means the number of vehicles subject to registration under IC 9-18 (before January 1, 2017) or IC 9-18.1 (after December 31, 2016) which are registered thereunder, and, when used with respect to the state, shall mean the number of vehicles registered in the state and, when used in respect to a county, city, or town, shall mean the number of vehicles registered by owners resident in the county, city, or town.

Formerly: Acts 1941, c.168, s.1. As amended by Acts 1980, P.L.74, SEC.213; P.L.18-1990, SEC.106; P.L.2-1991, SEC.59; P.L.145-2011, SEC.2; P.L.216-2014, SEC.8; P.L.257-2017, SEC.17; P.L.185-2018, SEC.20.