(A) For the purposes of carrying out sections 5501.70 to 5501.83 of the Revised Code, the department of transportation may do all of the following:

(1) Accept, subject to applicable terms and conditions, available funds from the United States or any of its agencies, whether the funds are made available by grant, loan, or other financial assistance;

(2) Enter into agreements or other arrangements with the United States or any of its agencies as may be necessary;

(3) For the purpose of completing a transportation facility under an agreement, accept from any source any grant, donation, gift, or other form of conveyance of land, money, other real or personal property, or other item of value made to the state or the department.

(B) Any transportation facility may be financed in whole or in part by contribution of any funds or property made by any private entity or affected jurisdiction that is party to a public-private agreement under sections 5501.70 to 5501.83 of the Revised Code.

(C) The department may use federal, state, local, and private funds to finance a transportation facility under sections 5501.70 to 5501.83 of the Revised Code and shall comply with any requirements and restrictions governing the use of the funds, including maintaining the funds separately when necessary.

(D) The director of transportation, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, may adopt such rules as the director considers advisable for the control and regulation of traffic on any transportation facility subject to a public-private agreement, for the protection and preservation of the transportation facility, for the maintenance and preservation of good order within the transportation facility, and for the purpose of establishing vehicle owner or operator liability for avoidance of user fees. The rules shall provide that public police officers shall be afforded ready access, while in the performance of their official duties, to the transportation facility without the payment of user fees.

(1) No person shall violate any rules of the department of transportation adopted under this division.

(2)

(a) All fines collected for the violation of applicable laws of the state and the rules of the department of transportation or money arising from bonds forfeited for such violation shall be disposed of in accordance with section 5503.04 of the Revised Code.

(b) All fees or charges assessed by the department of transportation or a public-private operator in accordance with this section against an owner or operator of a vehicle as a civil violation for failure to comply with toll collection rules shall be revenues of the department or public-private operator as set forth in the public-private agreement.

(E)

(1) Except as provided in division (E)(2) of this section, whoever violates division (D)(1) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor on a first offense; on each subsequent offense such person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

(2) Whoever violates division (D)(1) of this section when the violation is a civil violation for failure to comply with toll collection rules is subject to a fee or charge established by the department by rule.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 7, HB 51, §101.01, eff. 7/1/2013.

Added by 129th General AssemblyFile No.7, HB 114, §101.01, eff. 6/29/2011.