§ 507. Cattle passes

In its order of condemnation, the court may direct the Agency to install passes under the highway for the benefit of large modern farm properties, the fee title of which is owned by any party to the proceedings, where a reasonable need is shown by the owner. The court may consider evidence relative to present and anticipated future highway traffic volume, future land development in the area, and the amount and type of acreage separated by the highway in determining the need for an underpass of larger dimensions than a standard cattle pass of reinforced concrete, metal, or other suitable material that provides usable dimensions five feet wide by six feet three inches high. Where a herd of greater than 50 milking cows is consistently maintained on the property, the court may direct that the dimensions of the larger underpass shall be eight feet in width and six feet three inches in height to be constructed of reinforced concrete, and the owner of the farm property shall pay one-fourth of the difference in overall cost between the standard cattle pass and the larger underpass. Where the owner of the farm property desires an underpass of dimensions greater than eight feet in width and six feet three inches in height, the underpass may be constructed if feasible and in accordance with acceptable design standards, and the total additional costs over the dimensions specified shall be paid by the owner. The provisions of this section shall not be interpreted to prohibit the Agency and the property owner from determining the specifications of a cattle pass or underpass by mutual agreement at any time, either prior or subsequent to the date of the court’s order. The owner of a fee title shall be interpreted to include lessees of so-called lease land. (Added 1985, No. 269 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1993, No. 172 (Adj. Sess.), § 22; 1995, No. 183 (Adj. Sess.), § 18d, eff. May 22, 1996; 2009, No. 3 (Sp. Sess.), § 1; 2011, No. 126 (Adj. Sess.), § 2.)