STATE ADMINISTRATION OF THE HIGHWAY RIGHT-OF-WAY FUNCTION

ADMINISTRATION OF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY FUNCTION MAY BE ORGANIZED FOR ADMINISTRATION AS A LEGAL UNIT, OR IT MAY BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF HIGHWAY DESIGN. A FEW OF THE STATES HAVE CHOSEN THE FIRST METHOD OF ORGANIZATION AND WERE ABLE TO DO SO BY VIRTUE OF ADEQUATE BOND ISSUES, LEGISLATIVE GRANTS, CURRENT REVENUES, OR A COMBINATION THEREOF. A MAJORITY OF THE STATES HAVE BEEN FORCED TO ADOPT A DIFFERENT CONCEPT WHICH MIGHT BE DEFINED AS A SPECIALIZED UNIT OF HIGHWAY DESIGN, BASED UPON ENGINEERING, PROPERTY ECONOMICS, AND LAW. AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY IS PROVING INVALUABLE FOR PRELIMINARY STUDIES, ORIGIN AND DESTINATION TRAFFIC STUDIES, GEOMETRICS OF DESIGN, SOILS ANALYSES, AND OTHER FACTORS. THE RIGHT-OF- WAY FUNCTION MUST BE RECOGNIZED AS A BASIC UNIT OF HIGHWAY DESIGN AND ITS INTEGRATION MUST BE MADE IN TECHNICAL, ECONOMIC, AND LEGAL FUNDAMENTALS OF THE DESIGNED PICTURE. THE CONSTRUCTION OF LIMITED ACCESS FACILITIES REQUIRES CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE RIGHT-OF-WAY FUNCTION IN ORDER THAT PROPER ECONOMIC AND LEGAL CONSIDERATION MAY BE GIVEN TO THE SELECTION OF COLLECTION AND DISTRIBUTION POINTS OF TRAFFIC AND TO EVALUATE THE COST AND AFFECT UPON COMMUNITY LIFE. ORGANIZATION PLANS WITHIN THE STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT OF A RIGHT-OF-WAY DEPARTMENT ARE DESCRIBED. INTEGRATION WITH DESIGN THROUGH THE USE OF A STRAIGHT LINE, TECHNICAL ORGANIZATION, AND HAVING THE BASIC PURPOSE OF PRESENTING A COMPLETED PROJECT FOR RECEIPT OF BIDS, COMPLETE BOTH AS TO PLANS AND RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION, WOULD APPEAR TO AFFORD A SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM, THE COST OF WHICH IS RAPIDLY REACHING AN ECONOMIC MAXIMUM.