The director of transportation, upon the request by and the approval of the legislative authority of a village, shall maintain, repair, and apply standard longitudinal pavement marking lines as the director considers appropriate, or may establish, construct, reconstruct, improve, or widen any section of a state highway within the limits of a village. The director also may erect regulatory and warning signs, as defined in the manual adopted under section 4511.09 of the Revised Code, on any section of a state highway within the limits of a village. The director may establish, construct, reconstruct, improve, widen, maintain, or repair any section of state highway within the limits of a city, including the elimination of railway grade crossings, and pay the entire or any part of the cost and expense thereof from state funds, but in all cases the director first shall obtain the consent of the legislative authority of the municipal corporation, except that the director need not obtain the consent of the municipal corporation if the existing highway being changed or the location of an additional highway being established was not within the corporate limits of the municipal corporation at the time the director determines the establishment or change should be made, or if the director is acting pursuant to section 5501.49 of the Revised Code.

Except as provided in section 5501.49 of the Revised Code, when in the opinion of the director there is urgent need to establish a state highway, which is to be designated a federal aid highway, or a federal aid interstate highway within a municipal corporation or, in the opinion of the director, any federal aid highway or interstate federal aid highway is in urgent need of repair, reconstruction, widening, improvement, or relocation, so as to accommodate the traveling public, the director shall submit a written request to the legislative authority of the municipal corporation for its consent to the desired establishment or improvement. The legislative authority, within sixty days after the written request has been received from the director, either shall grant its consent to the establishment or improvement or refuse consent by filing in writing with the director a statement of its reasons for refusing consent and any alternate proposals it considers reasonable. If the legislative authority fails to act or refuses consent, the director, upon consideration of the reasons for rejection, may make a resolution declaring the necessity of the establishment or improvement, and then proceed in the same manner as if consent had been given. A certified copy of the resolution shall be served upon the municipal legislative authority, which, within twenty days from the date of service, may appeal to the court of common pleas of the county in which the municipal corporation is situated, upon the reasonableness and necessity of the action provided for in the resolution. In the hearing upon appeal, the director shall introduce the record of the director's proceedings, including the director's findings with respect to factors referred to in section 5521.011 of the Revised Code, and such other competent evidence as the director desires in support of the director's resolution, and the municipality likewise may introduce competent evidence opposing the resolution, and findings. The court may affirm or revoke the resolution. The decision of the common pleas court may be appealed to the court of appeals and the supreme court as in other cases. If the court affirms the resolution, the director may proceed with the establishment or improvement with or without the cooperation of the municipal corporation. Any such municipal corporation may cooperate with the director in the work and pay such portion of the cost as is agreed upon between the municipal corporation and the director. The legislative authority of any municipal corporation desiring to cooperate, by resolution, may propose such cooperation to the director, and a copy of the resolution, which shall set forth the proportion of the cost and expense to be contributed by the municipal corporation, shall be filed with the director. The director shall cause to be prepared the necessary surveys, plans, profiles, cross sections, estimates, and specifications and shall file copies of them with the legislative authority of the municipal corporation. After the legislative authority has approved the surveys, plans, profiles, cross sections, estimates, and specifications, and after the municipal corporation has provided the funds necessary to meet the portion of the cost of the work assumed by it, the municipal corporation shall enter into a contract with the state providing for payment by the municipal corporation of the agreed portion of the cost. The form of the contract shall be prescribed by the attorney general, and such contracts shall be submitted to the director and approved before the receipt of bids. Section 5705.41 of the Revised Code applies to such contract to be made by the municipal corporation, and a duplicate of the certificate of the chief fiscal officer of the municipal corporation shall be filed in the office of the director. That part of the cost of the work assumed by the municipal corporation shall be paid from the proceeds of taxes or special assessments, or both, or from the proceeds of notes or bonds issued and sold in anticipation of the collection of the taxes and assessments. For the purpose of providing funds for the payment of that part of the cost of the work assumed by the municipal corporation, the municipal corporation has the same authority to make special assessments, levy taxes, and issue bonds or notes, in anticipation of the collection of the same, as it has with respect to improvements constructed under the sole supervision and control of the municipal corporation. All such assessments shall be made, taxes levied, and bonds or notes issued and sold under such conditions and restrictions as may be provided with respect to assessments, taxes, bonds, or notes made, levied, issued, or sold in connection with improvements of the same class and character constructed under the sole supervision and control of the municipal corporation. The improvement shall be constructed under the sole supervision of the director. The proportion of the cost and expense payable by the municipal corporation shall be paid by the proper officers thereof, upon the requisition of the director, and at times during the progress of the work as may be determined by the director or as may be otherwise provided by law.

Effective Date: 04-05-2001 .