Whenever the construction of any flood control project, including its reservoirs, for which the state has agreed to provide the necessary lands, easements and rights-of-way, requires the readjustment, relocation or removal of any public service facility, as defined in § 13a-126, located within, on, along, over or under any land comprising the right-of-way of a public highway, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall issue an appropriate order to the company, corporation or municipality owning or operating such facility, and such company, corporation or municipality shall readjust, relocate or remove the same promptly in accordance with such order, and the cost of such readjustment, relocation or removal, including the cost of installing and constructing a facility of equal capacity in a new location, shall be borne by the state. In establishing the cost to be borne by the state, there shall be deducted from the cost of the readjusted, relocated or removed facilities a sum based on a consideration of the value of materials salvaged from existing installations, the cost of the original installation, the life expectancy of the original facility and the unexpired term of such life use. When any facility is removed from the right-of-way of a public highway to a private right-of-way, the state shall not pay for such private right-of-way. If the commissioner and the company, corporation or municipality owning or operating such facility cannot agree upon the cost to be borne by the state, either may apply to the superior court for the judicial district within which such highway is situated, or, if said court is not in session, to any judge thereof, for a determination of the cost to be borne by the state, and said court or such judge, after causing notice of the pendency of such application to be given to the other party, shall appoint a state referee to make such determination. Such referee, having given at least ten days’ notice to the parties interested of the time and place of the hearing, shall hear both parties, shall view such highway, shall take such testimony as he deems material and shall thereupon determine the amount of the cost to be borne by the state and forthwith report to the court. If the report is accepted by the court, such determination shall, subject to right of appeal as in civil actions, be conclusive upon both parties.