(a)  In case provision shall be made for the redemption of the outstanding bridge revenue refunding bonds of the Jamestown Bridge commission through the operation of the sinking fund for the bonds before the issuance of revenue bonds under the provisions of § 24-12-21, or in case the outstanding bridge revenue refunding bonds are retired from the proceeds of revenue bonds issued under the provisions of § 24-12-21, and in either event, the Jamestown Bridge commission shall thereupon be dissolved and all powers, control, and jurisdiction over and title to the Jamestown Bridge shall vest immediately in the state, which shall thereafter maintain, repair, and operate the bridge and the bridge shall thereafter constitute a toll free portion of the state highway system.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 24-12-40

  • Authority: means the Rhode Island turnpike and bridge authority created by § 24-12-2, or, if the authority shall be abolished, the board, body, or commission succeeding to the principal functions thereof or upon whom the powers given by the chapter to the authority shall be given by law. See Rhode Island General Laws 24-12-1
  • Jamestown Bridge: means the former bridge over the west passage of Narragansett Bay between the towns of Jamestown and North Kingstown constructed by the Jamestown Bridge commission under the provisions of chapter 2536 of the Public Laws, 1937 and the approaches thereto, and shall embrace all tollhouses, administration, and other buildings and structures used in connection therewith, together with all property, rights, easements, and interests acquired by the Jamestown Bridge commission in connection with the construction and operation of the bridge. See Rhode Island General Laws 24-12-1
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Newport Bridge: means the bridge or tunnel or combination of bridge and tunnel constructed or to be constructed under the provisions of this chapter over or under the waters of Narragansett Bay between Conanicut Island and Aquidneck Island, shall embrace the substructure and the superstructure thereof and the approaches thereto and the entrance plazas, interchanges, overpasses, underpasses, tollhouses, administration, storage, and other buildings, and highways connecting the bridge or tunnel with the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge (defined in subdivision (8)) and with state highways as the authority may determine to construct from time to time in connection therewith, together with all property, rights, easements, and interests acquired by the authority for the construction and operation of the bridge or tunnel or combination of bridge and tunnel. See Rhode Island General Laws 24-12-1

(b)  In recognition of engineering studies which show that the charging and collecting of tolls for the use of the Jamestown Bridge or a failure of the state to maintain, repair, and operate the bridge would decrease traffic over the Newport Bridge and diminish the toll revenues to be received on account of the operation of the Newport Bridge, the state covenants and agrees with the holders of any bonds or obligations of the authority issued to pay the cost of the Newport Bridge, that during any period when the bonds or obligations shall be outstanding and unpaid, the laws of Rhode Island shall not be amended to authorize or permit the charging and collecting of tolls on the Jamestown Bridge and the state shall maintain, repair, and operate the Jamestown Bridge as a portion of the state highway system.

History of Section.
P.L. 1954, ch. 3390, § 17; G.L. 1956, § 24-12-40; P.L. 1959, ch. 176, § 2; P.L. 1960, ch. 219, §§ 1, 22; P.L. 1963, ch. 165, § 17.