(a) Any municipality may sell, lease or otherwise transfer easements or other interests in, above or below any street, highway or other public right-of-way to the centerline thereof, other than the right-of-way of a state highway as defined in § 13a-1, in the same manner that it may dispose of any other interest in real property owned by such municipality; provided that adequate provision is made for the safe and convenient public use of the street, highway or other public right-of-way and for the protection of adjacent land users and that the transferee of said interest restores the street, highway or right-of-way to its condition existing prior to the transfer of said interest and provided further that any sale, lease or transfer of easements or other interests above any street, highway or other public right-of-way is made with the consent of the owner of the real property abutting the portion of the street, highway or other public right-of-way above which such easement or other interest is sold, leased or transferred. The sale, lease or transfer of easements or other interests in, above or below the portion of a street, highway or other public right-of-way lying to one side of the centerline thereof, shall not prevent the sale, lease or transfer of easements or other interests in, above or below the portion lying on the other side of such centerline, unless the terms of the initial sale, lease or transfer so provide.

(b) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to diminish or restrict in any way any authority concerning the sale, lease or transfer of any easements or other interests in, above or below any street, highway or other public right-of-way which any municipality or agency thereof may have by virtue of any special act or otherwise.