Substantial and accumulated annual increases experienced in highway traffic for the United States as a whole and particularly for Delaware plus the concentration of interstate traffic flow through Delaware caused by the construction of the Delaware Memorial Bridge and the New Jersey Turnpike have forced upon the State the need for new construction and reconstruction of highway facilities out of all proportion to funds available to the State Highway Department. Presently scheduled express highway construction in the adjoining states of Maryland and Pennsylvania will very shortly bring to the boundaries of Delaware increased interstate traffic. To provide supplemental funds for certain highway construction and reconstruction, to provide for payment of a proportionate share of such highway construction and reconstruction costs by the interstate traffic which is producing the need for such added expenditures and to enable the State to discharge the obligations which this traffic has imposed upon it, the Delaware Memorial Bridge Division of the State Highway Department (originally created as the Delaware Crossing Division under authority of 47 Del. Laws, c. 193, which as amended and revised appears as Chapter 3 of this title) is reorganized and reconstituted within the Department of Transportation with the powers and duties specified in this chapter.

17 Del. C. 1953, § ?402; 50 Del. Laws, c. 492, § ?1; 57 Del. Laws, c. 671, § ?3C; 60 Del. Laws, c. 503, § ?18;

Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 17 Sec. 402

  • Construction: means the first complete building or rebuilding of a highway after it has been converted into a state highway upon a modern engineering design with a permanent foundation of cement, concrete or other equally hard and permanent material and a top dressing of suitable material to economically withstand the wear of the particular traffic to which such highway will probably be subject with an adequate drainage system so that such highway, with reasonable maintenance, can reasonably be expected to endure for upwards of 40 years. See Delaware Code Title 17 Sec. 101
  • Crossing: shall include a bridge or bridges over the Delaware River or a tube or tubes under said River and all approaches thereto and approach highways and all other buildings or structures connected with any such bridge or tube and all equipment essential to the operation thereof and also all property rights, easements and franchises relating thereto and deemed necessary or convenient for the construction or operation thereof and may include any elevated or depressed highways connecting any such bridge or tube with a state road. See Delaware Code Title 17 Sec. 401
  • Department: means the Department of Transportation established under this title, or if said Department shall be abolished, any board, commission or officer succeeding to the principal functions thereof, or to whom the powers given by this chapter to said Department shall be given by law. See Delaware Code Title 17 Sec. 401
  • highway: include any public way or road or portion thereof and any sewer, drain or drainage system connected therewith and any bridge, culvert, viaduct or other construction or artificial way used in connection therewith and anything which is accessory to any of the same or to the use thereof. See Delaware Code Title 17 Sec. 101
  • State: means the State of Delaware; and when applied to different parts of the United States, it includes the District of Columbia and the several territories and possessions of the United States. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
  • State highway: includes any road or highway or portion thereof which the Department has constructed or of which the Department has taken or assumed control or jurisdiction. See Delaware Code Title 17 Sec. 101
  • United States: includes its territories and possessions and the District of Columbia. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
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