§ 33.1-217. Establishment of recreational waysides
(a) To promote the safety, convenience and enjoyment of travel on, and protection of the public investment in, highways of this Commonwealth, and for the restoration, preservation, and enhancement of scenic beauty within and adjoining such highways, it is hereby declared to be in the public interest to acquire and establish recreational waysides and areas of scenic beauty adjoining the highways of this Commonwealth.
(b) The Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner may, whenever in his opinion it is to the best interest of the Commonwealth, accept from the United States, or any authorized agency thereof, a grant or grants of any recreational waysides established and constructed by the United States, or any such agency thereof, or a grant or grants of funds for landscaping and scenic enhancement of highways, and the Commissioner may, on behalf of the Commonwealth, enter into a contract or contracts with the United States or any such agency to maintain and operate any such recreational waysides which may be so granted to the Commonwealth and may do all things necessary to receive and expend federal funds for landscaping and scenic enhancement.
(c) The Commissioner may, whenever it is to the best interest of the operation of the interstate, the primary or the secondary system of state highways, establish, construct, maintain, and operate adjoining the state highway appropriate recreational waysides and areas of scenic beauty.
(d) The Commissioner is authorized to acquire by purchase, gift or the power of eminent domain such land or interest in land as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section, provided that in exercising the power of eminent domain for areas of scenic beauty such areas must adjoin and lie within one hundred feet of the right-of-way of the highway, and the procedure shall be mutatis mutandis the same as provided for the acquisition of land by the Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner in Article 7 (§ 33.1-89 et seq.) of this chapter.
(Code 1950, § 33-133; 1966, c. 470; 1970, c. 322.)
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