§757. Off-system work; prohibitions; exceptions

A.(1) The Department of Transportation and Development shall perform no work on the parish road system or on any other roads or streets which are not in the state highway system, whether such work is construction or maintenance and whether the work is done at the expense of the state or at the expense of the governing authority of the parishes, except in the following circumstances:

(a) The department shall construct, maintain, and improve roads, whether hard surfaced or otherwise, within state parks and state historic sites as defined in R.S. 56:1684, and connect such sites with existing highways.

(b) The department is authorized to perform work on any off-system bridge which is included as a TIMED project within the provisions of R.S. 47:820.2(B)(1)(b).

(c) The department is authorized to perform work on intersectional improvements on parish roads or municipal streets and to perform work on parish roads or municipal streets for purposes of operational or safety reasons when the parish road or municipal street intersects with a state highway which is programmed for improvement or construction; however, the distance of such off-system work shall conform to AASHTO design standards as adopted pursuant to R.S. 48:35.

(d) The department may construct, maintain, and improve roads, whether hard-surfaced or otherwise, within wildlife management areas owned by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and proclaimed as a wildlife management area by the governor, refuges, and other lands owned by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Such work shall be at the direction of, and in cooperation with, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries or the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission and shall be funded from monies specifically designated for that purpose.

(2) Any construction project undertaken by the department as provided in this Subsection shall be in accordance with the provisions of Subpart A of Part XIII of Chapter 1 of this Title.

B. In an emergency as found and declared by the governor, the governor may expend state funds on parish roads. However, the department may stripe parish roads upon the request of any parish, with the parish bearing the cost of said striping, when in the opinion of the secretary or his designee surplus manpower and equipment are available and the purchase of new equipment is not required.

C. In addition, in instances in which the federal government has established programs pertaining to off-system construction, maintenance, or improvement, the department may participate in said projects and provide necessary matching funds including but not limited to monies in the Transportation Trust Fund. Funding for programs under the provisions of this Subsection shall be subject to the availability and appropriation of funds in excess of the total funds appropriated for the Parish Transportation Fund in Fiscal Year 1994-1995.

Acts 1990, No. 221, §1; Acts 1995, No. 428, §1, eff. June 17, 1995; Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 157, §1, eff. July 1, 1998; Acts 1999, No. 681, §1, eff. July 1, 1999; Acts 1999, No. 709, §2; Acts 2010, No. 291, §1.