136-44.12. Maintenance of roads and parking lots in areas administered by the Division of Parks and Recreation.

The Department of Transportation shall maintain all roads and parking lots which are not part of the State Highway System, leading into and located within the boundaries of all areas administered by the Division of Parks and Recreation of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

All such roads and parking lots shall be planned, designed, and engineered through joint action between the Department of Transportation and the Division of Parks and Recreation of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. This joint action shall encompass all accepted park planning and design principles. Particular concern shall be given to traffic counts and vehicle weight, minimal cutting into or through any natural and scenic areas, width of shoulders, the cutting of natural growth along roadways, and the reduction of any potential use of roads or parking lots for any purpose other than by park users. All State park roads and parking lots shall conform to the standards regarding width and other roadway specifications as agreed upon by the Division of Parks and Recreation of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the Department of Transportation.

The State park road systems may be closed to the public in accordance with approved park practices that control the use of State areas so as to protect these areas from overuse and abuse and provide for functional use of the park areas, or for any other purpose considered in the best interest of the public by the Division of Parks and Recreation of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Nothing herein shall be construed to include the transfer to the Department of Transportation the powers now vested in the Division of Parks and Recreation of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources relating to the patrol and safeguarding of State park roads or State park parking lots.