§512. Prohibition against closing, obstruction, or changing legal roads; restoring to former condition; exceptions

A. No person shall close, obstruct, or change any legal road, public road, or street, as defined in R.S. 48:491 and being a parish or municipal road, except upon order of the governing authority of the parish for a parish road, whether or not within a municipality, or upon order of the governing authority of the municipality for a municipal road, except as hereinafter provided.

B. If any public road or street is closed, obstructed, or changed in violation of the provisions of this Section, the governing authority of the parish or the governing authority of the municipality shall summarily open the road, remove all obstructions therefrom, and restore it to its former condition, at the expense of the person who closed, obstructed, or changed the public road or street.

C. The governing authority of Orleans Parish may authorize a person to close, obstruct, or change a public road or street for a period not to exceed twelve consecutive months, provided that the governing authority determines that it is for a public purpose and in the best interests and for the benefit of the parish or municipality, provided further that such closing shall occur only after consultation with and approval by the secretary of the department, provided further that all obstructions be removed therefrom and the public roads or streets be restored for use by the general public at the sole expense of the person authorized to close, obstruct, or change a public road or street, and provided further that the removal of obstructions and the restoration of the public roads or streets be completed within the period authorized by the governing authority, which period shall not exceed twelve months.

Acts 1989, No. 815, §1; Acts 1991, No. 289, §15; Acts 2011, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 11, §1.