(A) The board of county commissioners, board of township trustees, or legislative authority of a municipal corporation may maintain, repair, construct, reconstruct, improve, or widen any section of a road under the control of the state or another political subdivision if all of the following apply:

(1) The county, township, or municipal corporation proposing the project declares to the state or political subdivision the reasonable necessity of the construction or improvement. The declaration shall be by resolution or ordinance. A certified copy shall be sent to the director of transportation when a state highway is the subject of the proposal and to the affected political subdivision when any other highway is the subject of the proposal.

(2) The documents, plans, reports, or other materials relating to the project comply with applicable design development criteria of the department of transportation and the federal highway administration, which compliance is determined by the director in the manner provided in section 5521.13 of the Revised Code;

(3) The county, township, or municipal corporation proposing the project certifies to the state or political subdivision, in the resolution or ordinance required by division (A)(1) of this section, that all funds necessary to complete the project are available either privately or from the county, township, or municipal corporation proposing the project.

The county, township, or municipal corporation proposing the project may acquire by gift, purchase, condemnation, or otherwise, any lands required for the construction or improvement.

(B) Upon compliance with the requirements of division (A) of this section, the county, township, or municipal corporation proposing the project may proceed only with the consent of the department. The state or other political subdivision having control over the road may contribute to the cost of the construction or improvement.

(C) Any person may appeal an action taken by a county, township, or municipal corporation under this section. The appeal may be taken to the probate court or the court of common pleas of any county in which any part of the construction or improvement is located, and shall be limited to a determination of compliance with division (A) of this section.

(D) After completion of the project, the state or political subdivision having control of the road shall repair and maintain it if the project is accepted by the state or political subdivision. Upon such acceptance, the county, township, or municipal corporation constructing or improving the road under this section may contribute to the cost of repair and maintenance of the road. If the project is not accepted by the state or political subdivision having control of the road, the county, township, or municipal corporation constructing or improving the road shall repair and maintain it.

Effective Date: 11-08-1994 .