§1782. Exercise of preservation rights

A. The exercise of the right to preserve an abandoned railroad right of way as a transportation corridor for future transportation uses shall not be undertaken by the state or any state agency unless the commissioner of administration has issued to the Interstate Commerce Commission a certificate of availability of funds for the program.

B. The exercise of the right to preserve an abandoned railroad right of way as a transportation corridor for future transportation uses shall not be undertaken by any political subdivision or local governing authority of this state unless the entity has issued to the Interstate Commerce Commission a certificate of availability of funds for the program.

C. Any affected local governmental entity may request the secretary to make a determination to preserve a proposed abandoned railroad right of way as a transportation corridor for future transportation uses upon a showing for the need for such future use and after having filed a preliminary application with the Interstate Commerce Commission requesting the proposed abandoned railroad right of way be considered for preservation under the "Rails to Trails" program.

D. Nothing in this Part shall affect the property owner's right to compensation under any federal or state law. The provisions of Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution of Louisiana shall be applicable in determining the amount of compensation due the property owners under this Part.

E. Upon approval of a "Rails to Trails" program by the Interstate Commerce Commission, the governmental entity filing the application for the program shall, within one hundred eighty days, complete all acquisition transactions including the payment of compensation due the property owners.

F. The failure of the governmental entity to complete all acquisition transactions within the time allowed shall by operation of law release all preservation rights authorized by this Part and shall not be an encumbrance or cloud upon the title of the property or right of way subject to said preservation rights, reserving unto the property owners any claim for damages or compensation to which they may be entitled under state law.

Acts 1990, No. 1016, §1; Acts 1992, No. 881, §1.