§ 24-12-1. Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context shall indicate another or different meaning:

(1) "Additional facility" means any bridge, approach or feeder road, highway, road, freeway, tunnel, overpass, underpass, parking facility or toll facility, in the state, equipment or signal and information system, which the authority is authorized by this chapter or any other law to construct, reconstruct, renovate, acquire, maintain, repair, operate, or manage after May 3, 1954 or any portion thereof.

(2) "Annual period" means the one-year fiscal period of the state commencing on the first day of July of any year and ending the last day of June of the following year.

(3) "Authority" means the Rhode Island turnpike and bridge authority created by § 24-12-2, or, if the authority shall be abolished, the board, body, or commission succeeding to the principal functions thereof or upon whom the powers given by the chapter to the authority shall be given by law.

(4)(i) "Cost" as applied to any project to be constructed, reconstructed, renovated, maintained, acquired, leased, repaired, operated or managed by the authority shall embrace the cost of construction, reconstruction, renovation, maintenance, repair, operation or management, the cost of the acquisition of all land, rights-of-way, property, rights, easements, and interests acquired by the authority for the construction, reconstruction, renovation, maintenance, repair, operation or management, the cost of demolishing or removing any buildings or structures on land so acquired, including the cost of acquiring any lands to which the buildings or structures may be moved, the cost of all machinery and equipment, financing charges, interest prior to and during construction, reconstruction, renovation, maintenance, repair, operation or management, and for one year after completion of construction, reconstruction, renovation, maintenance, repair, operation or management, cost of traffic estimates and of engineering and legal services, plans, specifications, surveys, estimates of cost and of revenues, other expenses necessary or incident to determining the feasibility or practicability of construction, reconstruction, renovation, maintenance, repair, operation or management, administrative expenses, and such other expenses as may be necessary or incident to the construction, reconstruction, renovation, maintenance, repair, operation or management, the financing of the construction, and the placing of the project in operation, and in connection with the Newport Bridge shall include the purchase price of the ferry franchise. The word "cost" as applied to any project which the authority may be authorized to acquire means the amount of the purchase price, lease payments, debt service payments, or the amount of any condemnation award in connection with the acquisition of the project, and shall include the cost of acquiring all the capital stock of the corporation owning the project, if such be the case, and the amount to be paid to discharge all of the obligations of the corporation in order to vest title to the project in the authority, the cost of improvements to the project which may be determined by the authority to be necessary prior to the financing thereof, interest during the period of construction of the improvements and for one year thereafter, the cost of all lands, properties, rights, easements, franchises, and permits acquired, the cost of engineering and legal services, plans, specifications, surveys, estimates of cost and of revenues, other expenses necessary or incident to determining the feasibility or practicability of the acquisition or improvement, administrative expenses, and such other expenses as may be necessary or incident to the financing of the acquisition or improvement and the placing of the project in operation by the authority.

(ii) "Cost" as applied to the Mount Hope Bridge means such amount, if any, as the authority may deem necessary, following the acquisition of a bridge under the provisions of § 24-12-40A, to place the bridge in safe and efficient condition for its operation. And as applied to any project constructed or acquired by the authority under the provisions of the chapter, the word "cost" shall also include such amounts as the authority may deem necessary for working capital and to create a debt service reserve.

(iii) "Cost" as applied to the Sakonnet River Bridge includes such amount, if any, as the authority may deem necessary, following the acquisition of the Sakonnet River Bridge under the provisions of subsection 24-12-40F, to place the bridge in safe and efficient condition for its operation. As applied to any project constructed or acquired by the authority under the provisions of the chapter, the word "cost" shall also include such amounts as the authority may deem necessary for capitalized interest, working capital and to create a debt service reserve.

(iv) "Cost" as applied to the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge includes such amount, if any, as the authority may deem necessary, following the acquisition of the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge under the provisions of subsection 24-12-40G, to place the bridge in safe and efficient condition for its operation. As applied to any project constructed or acquired by the authority under the provisions of the chapter, the word "cost" shall also include such amounts as the authority may deem necessary for capitalized interest, working capital and to create a debt service reserve.

(5) "Department" means the department of transportation, or, if the department shall be abolished, the board, body, or commission succeeding to the principal functions thereof or upon whom the powers given by chapter 5 of title 37 to the department shall be given by law.

(6) "Ferry franchise" means the existing franchises and rights to operate ferries belonging to the Jamestown and Newport ferry company, but not including any other intangible personal property or real estate or tangible personal property of the corporation which shall remain the property of the corporation.

(7) "Jamestown Bridge" means the former bridge over the west passage of Narragansett Bay between the towns of Jamestown and North Kingstown constructed by the Jamestown Bridge commission under the provisions of chapter 2536 of the Public Laws, 1937 and the approaches thereto, and shall embrace all tollhouses, administration, and other buildings and structures used in connection therewith, together with all property, rights, easements, and interests acquired by the Jamestown Bridge commission in connection with the construction and operation of the bridge.

(8) "Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge" means the bridge constructed in replacement of the Jamestown Bridge, as defined in subdivision (7) and the approaches thereto, and shall embrace all tollhouses, administration, and other buildings and structures used in connection therewith, together with all property, rights, easements, and interests acquired by the authority in connection with the construction and operation of such bridge.

(9) "Mount Hope Bridge" means the existing bridge between the towns of Bristol and Portsmouth and the approaches thereto, which was constructed by the Mount Hope Bridge corporation and which was acquired and is now owned and operated by the Mount Hope Bridge authority under the provisions of chapter 13 of this title, and shall embrace all tollhouses, administration, and other buildings and structures used in connection therewith, together with all property, rights, easements, and interests acquired by the Mount Hope Bridge corporation or the Mount Hope Bridge authority in connection with the construction and operation of the bridge.

(10) "Newport Bridge" means the bridge or tunnel or combination of bridge and tunnel constructed or to be constructed under the provisions of this chapter over or under the waters of Narragansett Bay between Conanicut Island and Aquidneck Island, shall embrace the substructure and the superstructure thereof and the approaches thereto and the entrance plazas, interchanges, overpasses, underpasses, tollhouses, administration, storage, and other buildings, and highways connecting the bridge or tunnel with the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge (defined in subdivision (8)) and with state highways as the authority may determine to construct from time to time in connection therewith, together with all property, rights, easements, and interests acquired by the authority for the construction and operation of the bridge or tunnel or combination of bridge and tunnel.

(11) "Owner" means and include all individuals, incorporated companies, partnerships, societies, or associations, and also municipalities, political subdivisions, and all public agencies and instrumentalities, having any title or interest in any property, rights, easements, or franchises authorized to be acquired under the provisions of this chapter.

(12) "Project" means the "Newport Bridge," "Mount Hope Bridge," "Sakonnet River Bridge," "Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge", the "turnpike" or any "additional facility," as the case may be, or any portion thereof which may be financed, acquired or leased under the provisions of this chapter.

(13) "Turnpike" means the controlled access highway or any portion thereof to be constructed or acquired, from time to time, under the provisions of this chapter from a point at or near the Connecticut-Rhode Island border through the county of Washington and the county of Newport to a point at or near the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border in the town of Tiverton (excluding the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge, the Mount Hope Bridge, the Newport Bridge, and the Sakonnet River Bridge), together with all bridges (except those mentioned above), overpasses, underpasses, interchanges, entrance plazas, approaches, approach roads, tollhouses, service stations, and administration, storage, and other buildings and facilities which the authority may deem necessary for the operation of the turnpike, together with all property, rights, easements, and interests which may be acquired by the authority for the construction or the operation of the turnpike.

(14) "Sakonnet River Bridge" means the replacement Sakonnet River bridge constructed or to be constructed under the provisions of Article 36 of Chapter 376 of the Public Laws of 2003 between the towns of Tiverton and Portsmouth and shall embrace the substructure and the superstructure thereof and the approaches thereto and the toll structures, interchanges, overpasses, underpasses, tollhouses, administration, storage, and other buildings, and highways connecting the bridge with state highways, as the authority may determine to construct or acquire from time to time in connection therewith, together with all property, rights, easements, and interests acquired by the authority for the construction and operation of the bridge.

History of Section. (P.L. 1954, ch. 3390, § 2; G.L. 1956, § 24-12-1; P.L. 1960, ch. 219, §§ 1-4; P.L. 1963, ch. 165, §§ 2-4; P.L. 1987, ch. 397, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 542, § 71; P.L. 1997, ch. 30, art. 36, § 1; P.L. 2012, ch. 241, art. 20, § 3.)