Case Information
*1 OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Hononblo H. L. Mmhbum
County Auditor
lhrrla oounty
Eouatod, Tour
Dear Sir:
, ru&wrtr the opin- jeot. lib quote your t your opinion in oon- Dbtriot Engineer of t wrote Mr. Albert of Way Agent for Xtmrlr Counta, Att8ahed to thlr letter ~08 b aopy of p portion of the nlautes of the state HighW~ De-
partment reodlng &I ret out in the order or the
Cmirsianerr Court which I vi11 hereafter quote. *2 “The Rl&kt of Uay apartment rent
letter of the Dlrtrlot to mea to- Bnglneer
gether vlth the 00~~ or the ninuter 0r the
Comnlssion, and X thr~upcn trarmmltted it
to the bbSbtf88iCWM Court of Ram18 county
vlth the iollovlng letterr from Mr. Albert “*I l ttaoh a latter
Tovnsend enalorlng a oopy of l minute order th0 ht0 011 a~10 23,
0f sightmy caPPi88icn
1942, designat* Loop Il. S. IIlghway lorth gu as a state hlghlmy. This minute should
be approved W the Gcmmi88loaars Court and in its mlnuterr The Court the order ~corded
thereupan 8hould l uthorfro Hr. Townsend, a8
Right of Uay Agent, to obtain the necessary
right of ry- ? payable from the 1941 Bond
Fund State dght 0r Uay Budget in aaaordanoe vlth plans, 8peolflaattons uld 8urv0ys of the State Iilghva~ Dspartaemt. @ %n Ally 13, 1942, the comml88lcner8
Court of Harris Countr entered an o&er ia
its IUmote8, Volume 11, page 528, reading
as f0110v8 8
‘9loved by Ccmmlsrloner Tautnnhabn, seoonded w Comml8aloner Or&am, duly put ’
8nd carried, it Is ordered that the roiiov-
ing order of the State Highimp Ccswsl8sio.n, Iiorth Loop U. 8. Hlghwtq UC. 90 designating , as a State high-7 be approved: “(“In Harris Uounty, it 18 ordered that a loop on 0. 8. go, ia the vlolalty of Rou8- be and la ho~w deslgrmtti for future
ton,
oonrtruotlon and aalntenanoe p~rp0808, ox-
tendLng fr om l oaumotlon with tho present
II. 8. Hi&way 90 east of Post WC Road
vort OS Houston, thexioo northnrrt oon-
nootlon vfth 8. alghvay 290, U. thenoe east
through the north rldo of Houston alon& or in the viaialty of 29th Street, Llndor Street
and 8tonsvall Street, thence to a oonaootfon
with U, S. Ri&var 90 east of Howtan, this
62.:?
Honorable 8. L. Hsshbum, Pago 3 t0 inChdO SUCh OClUlOCtiCZlS a8
dobi@atfcah t0 SOrVO SktO -Ifar W liOOO88~l7 v O&St of Houston, It being alearly umlomtood that dobigtlatioll #ha11 XlOt in slyr -P in-
thib llOV eXiSti-
OhdO rPlJ~OPti9U Oi th0 PCSt
oak Rca4.
l hi it 18 tbt fibbl't fUl’thOS Ol’dOl’Od %llWd, wt Of w8r &N3lt, b. authorired Of V8 plmbl0 t0 SO@UFO thb nSCO8U~ l’f&t of bray
from the 1941 Bond Futld, st4to l t, in l ~OOrbnoO Vfth hA8 Uld SpOOiii- rt of the tato H&hvayDe- ems mdsurv~s
partmoat. '
“Imwdiatol~ theredtor!, tho Right 0r ti&y DOpdiROdi Of tbWlty, a8 th0 4&&3lltS Ikl’dS of the 8tate Highmy Depertment, proweded to w l O~fSfti~ my8 Or tii XWOOS~I7 right Of authority Artlolv 6674n. Vomon~r under hnotatod CL*11 %atutos. th4 field Uader not08 and dab 834~pliod by tho Highvay Depart-
IS&, th0 Pi&it Of V8r l O~til’d -8 Ori&mb
lr 100 f-t, bUt *itOr POPtiCll Of th. IlOOeS- hid8 had been l o qulr od, th e plans were ury
vidaned to 150 foot. some of the ocnnootfng
S'O&~e~hWU&," ~iStW60 formed 13.&S flI
The who10 projoot till be to ti ihls lotter as tho ‘Horth referred
Loop’.
‘As an uamplo OS tho pmtloubr prob- vhen thorn V88 UI Uirtw fn ti OI808
roadway, in oomply with or&m reqube-
m4BIAtS th0 sat0 8f&hmy ~~rtW& it IfaS to got l t b88t nOOO8~~ fOOt Of k&i- timal right of uirr to ulden tho utiting tPU0 in ThiS MS th0 C&SO Of Ibw
x.ellJ V88 origLa4llJ & feet vibe, and at t the l’O~Ue8 t the lilghvay Department,
,orable & L wabhbura, %3e 4
en 8dditiOml 40 ied VES first obklaod, rid0 of tho ort&lMl road-
20 Poet on oithor tiub#equeat1~, tho Right Uq Deqxwt-
2% vas Olderod t0 obtakr an rddltlcml
feet, making the total width 150 foot.
Aotunl airautruotlcn the Efghvay Depart-
ment cm xally not been be g un, l l- street wt deal Of the right Ofm~haS
Pad, and th0 StPOOt b8 bean tidonod upon land taken in the name of tho
Mator
“In 1941, varliour boDd 188u08 were to tho VCtOM Of ~I918 &~IItyr butaifttsd tie Of th0 ~~,oo&oo i88UeS SUbittad WS ~fpO80 t0 b0 USOd iOr th0 SpOOifiC Of WQUiP- iog Pi&it Of my8 hl&~~S. iOr StdO - iuadr W’tihbh
bond8 VOlW VOtSd kCW%bO th0 tlao count YOM lMufflolent to othervl8e pay for tho 8SICWtS Of SUPOILbiVO Pi&t way required for the cons tructicn of the
stat0 llf@wa~. t%O bond pl’CCCOding8 SpeOifi-
Cd4 ut ll0 WPt Of thO80 funds prOVf&d should ever be upended for any other purpose thM tb 8O~ui8itiOZl Of Pi@& Of VagS fCP dobigrutod Stat0 hl@Wa~.
*I hevo qucted tho oorrerpcndence and th0 OPdeM l bOV0 iOr th0 pUl”QO80 Of bhovtig
that thSM in th0 mind Of anJ PO ~OStiOll -8 tb, OfffOhlS VhO 08iUO in OCIitrOt With the Of
Mtter OPiginrllY that the de8igMtfCII by the Co%mit##ion of the Hcrth Lcop was final.
El&m lJ so, oxpeadlturo of bend fund8 frcm the
2.941 bond l88~0 aculd BOt pO~#lbly haVo bee&!
MdO iOr th. gtulpO80 Of m@.Il$ fOP thib right
Of Wcrr, a#, tie88 it did lbOtUal1~ OCli8titUtO St6te hi@.War, th0 oxpeadlturo Of buoh fU&S
thereon vould ooMtltuto 8 divor8ion, under tkU8Xt~ 8uoh #Se8 98 bore, th@ WdhOritJ 109 20X. 96, 200 8.w. 374;
-0, VI9 tbfihm, end Blaok, ot al. VS. Streqth, County Jud@,
246 Sru. 79. !I’%0 prOCOOding8 foa 188uance
Of th0 bon& 8~OiffC8ll~ pbd@d this tid
Sioncrablo It. L. Ua8hbUmr Page 5
iOr. thtb ~rtiCUhP pucPO8@. It 18 ObViCu8
t&at-no portion of this fuud oould bo u-
ponded for the aoqul8ltlcn of right of vays
for County r06d8.
"'fh.IW 18 Still mUoh Of the right Of vmy on the North Loop to bo 8oquirod. Thm onl funds wailablo for tho p~rduro of
SUCi rigat of v8y are the bond funds 8bovo
IentlanOlb. Tb Commi.881an0r8 Court4ndI the ardor of the
vore of the opinion tht U&S miffOi.ltt, btit0 =#Jhw -8SiOE t&M la o~ootlcn vitr ll of the other
PrOOOebingS vhloh have beeli #ino hrd, t0 tha Horth Loop a part of oonatltute
stat0 fus;tnr*r SyStM. Hence, the bond hnda used for tho
&ve been 4nd u-0 aov be*
purpose p4ylng the vldened rl&t of
v4y and th0 8OQUlSltiOn Of nov right Of vay
fOF thib stat0 arshvaJ. such W3tiO3l &Viul? 18 th0 CCUIlty to procoed by oandamn8tlon or
ruthorlred
OthOTVi80b 48 th0 4&Sllt Of tb StrtO, t0 bC-
QUfl'O the 4dditiOMl MOO888r7, Pi&It Of V4y
for thi.8 projoot aal pay for it aut of
tho bondihnd above mentioned? I’dSOd at this "%b880 C&W38tiOll8 hW0 been &to d@to booaurro of difffoUltle8 SCBOVhat
whhh ha*0 rrlsm p8rtluularly la c0naeation
vlth Lilly Street, but vhlch vlll bo appll-
04blO to th0 Xorth LOOP a8 8 VhO~. By W-
SOlI it8 vldemlag urd inClvs#bd tl'aff%O, hb gotten intO I, vary bad oon-
EegaStreOt Mmbor8 tho commi88lon- on0 of took the matter up vlth the Resident OM C&t Hnglnoor, and fnfomsd him that it would be t0 this StMOt & ocmldor
Il@OO$Sal7 to add
able amount of wterlalr In the opinion of
the bb41f88iOLLdl'b it Vi11 k llOOO886~ t0 add
to this street she21 or other paving materiel
in UOObS Of 1,000 oublo y8rdSr !hO Rd48fd6llt Bo&lnet?r 4ddre88od a latter to the thunty Cora-
~i88fCblOP UldOP date Of Mwch Tr LndfC&ing
Hanorablo 8, L, W88hburq Page 6 YPS of the opinion that thomeintewnoe th4t he portion of this State highway vas the
of thlr of Harris County. Hi8 lOthI St4t6hS.
pcoblerr la tho cuatara of the Hlghvay Ccmlrslcn OVOr Such I'+dS ffor M$lt6+bCO' adlr ,-
'4ftOl' Wie OOIlStl'WtlCLLI 18 OCblpl~tbd'. "I find my8olf umble to 8greo pith the acn- by tho Dl8trlot Wgfnoor of
oluriOn8 eap~rred th0 SktO Hi@IVby CtiSfC#k. 1 M Of th. Opin-
taa that tho County 18 Upr0881~ prohibitad by
lav SroP~~ rUrtbal? Uxp~dltureb On
tho llorth Loop, except the 8oqul8ltlOa of right Uo h8vo been prooeedfng with ao-
=Kn the right v4y la 4ooodanoo 667kn, ~WWi%‘S t&IO 9Z’CV181CW Of tit:010
with htlOt4tOd SktUtOS. b YOU knOW, th0 doCi8iOn8
OOMtAling thib St8tUtO hVe SSid it does thst nothing POM thaIi t0 euthoribo the OOW!ltyb 48
tho rgent of the Stateb to rcquirv the news- Sal7 right of vay. hl thib COlUlOOtiOli,
Supmo C-t, in the oabe of Robbins VS. Lime-
stt$unn;; 114 Toxr 345, 268 5.U. 915, 918,
"'The OSt8blish@ent of public bighvaJ8 be- ing primarily a ftmotlan of government belong-
lng to the state, tho right to establish them
~StdOS 9rhMrilJ in th0 10~18b~tUl!O, 4nd in the absence Of ooo8titutiOMl XW8triCtiOMa the
logirleture say Uorclre that right dlroot or
delegate it to a political subdlvirlcn of the 4ag OF kutX%menbl-
8t4teb or t0 SuCh Other 4
fty, $MOF41 OI lOC4l in f tb 8C090b 4; ;t
detormlno. t?l# UOPC18O this r&a I rubdivlsl0n of the state. by focal politloal
OffiOeM, ib founded UPCII~t8tUtCl”y 4UthCPit~
Ztmreror. ti0 1egiShtUM PJ UW’CiSe 908- sorslcn of public mod8 yrd ocntrcl ovoc them, throu@i 8uOh ag~Oie8 88 it may designate.'
by and "It VOll SOttlOd th4t thb ShtUteS @I'S ~XO~US~VO CtXitrOl ovsr all Skto hlghvayb to the
at4t0 Highvtay Com.l8sion. Formerly, the ocunties
Hanorsblo Ii, L. %bhbunr, age 7 to aid in the OoMtruotfon
VOM Nthorfsed and lb4fJhZUXlOO #Of Uiy SeOtiCn Or SOOtfCM Of 4 maordemfsed, gravrlod or paved x-Cad or turnpike a p4rt of the State
in raid county conatltutfng 87StaE t0 Ntel' fnt0 CCIItFaOtS Or
Hf@lWA~ 4tld
ogrma6nt8 vlth tho state Hi Depmtment
fer that 9ua-9080.~ Artlalo 740, R.S. 1925.
V&S ~ZWSSly MpeObd w Act8 82atUI’O 3d C.S.b 9460 151 Umptar lot Sstibfied Vith 4 WF6 re- 13, seot:Cn 3. peal of tho uthorlty thoretoforo given to the ootmty to upad funds for malnteaukoo of 8t4to
hf@V4 b the lOgi8l4tWO b7 StatUh OX9FO8817 prohlb ted such ~oXkd:tW%8, I@ Other thM for l’&ht Of V878. Art1010 6674q-4, Vemon@s Ann. I'MdO fOlhVS8
st.r
"~Allfurtherlapr~vmentof raid Stat0 Elghimy 8yStWl Sh811 b. ESde under th0 UCblsive
ulddlreot oantrClof the shtomghva7De-
partant ad vlth 8pproprlatlcns mado by the
l~~f8~tU.M Cut Of m st4tO Hi&Vlty htld.
hl’VO78, p&II8 and 8pOf3ffiC4tiCM and ~8tfMte8 Jl ihrther oonstrw~lolr aad fmprOVerPsnt atid byStOW ShlB~ bb E.&O, ~Mp6U'Sd Nd by the State Hlghv4y DepPrtaent. 5
g&r
fbIPmeV~SIl~: C3f Mid SFSt~~~h51~ vlthlmy nvldo vlth th d Y nibhOd by the UOlUktit38 OXOOPt tn0 WZQUif5ftiOll right ways vhich may be fumishod bs the defioed awed
tlObs tholr ~t~diV18101~ trictbr < th%S #h&1 in Ii0 WiSO offOOt curryin& Cutofanyblndlng oCntMot8nov between tha State Hlghv47 Depsrtment ufatlng and the Caml88loner8 Ucurt of any oounty, for
suoh oountyb or for any doffned rod dirtriot~
Ih the development Of the SyStU Of State b-&b-
vaym and the maintenanoo thorocf~ the State
Highvay ~SSiOn ah411 fmnn fWAd8 ev8ilablo
to the StstoXfghvay Departant, prCvide:
"(8) For the effl~l~~
all hif!ShV4~8 oCmprf8~ h
626 ~cnorablo Ii, L. UaShbW% Pe&e 8
"(b) FOP the OC~8tNCtiOl3, in 000901'@- tlcn iith the Federal government to tho extent
of Federal aid the State, Of highveyb of
durable type Of the greateat pub110 lleOe88ity.
"l(o) For tho oonstruotlon of hlghvaya, porfooting and Utw corrol8ted SyStWi
ci-&S~ hfghva78, Me9endontly frolpQtit8 “It 3.8 to bo noted that rubd.lvlslcn (8)
l b ovo.quotetl, t4 k.a la ocnnootlon with th e itb WkOS 9FOOCdb43 it th0 ~FOSS
SCIltUiC~
SktutOX'y duty Of th0 St4tO Highvcr7 CCilfMiS- t0 mint8iB bU. 8t8te a&hvapS.
#ia ThO 8entmoo preceding thrrtulcloh I have
other
undorsoored above prohibit8 the C-X9@1tUM
Oi mOM7 by the COUlltiO8 Oli buoh aigaoa~b.
Th# wo Of thS void ’ in the ‘inpZ’CV8lB~t8
first undo~oo~ rentonoo oamot bo mlrccn-
StNod bocaU80 the Stl4tUtO (&PtiClo 66744)
defin48 it t0 moau' tom %j?lWV(311tXlt” #ha11 fWht%S “‘%iO
00n8tnrot10nb reccn8tlluotion maintenuioe,
OP 94rtiP1 OCUl8tNOtiCXh, lvCOn8tNOtiCn Or and the making all neoessrry
mslntwoo 9relln&wy thereto.'
PbUAS 4nd rurVryr 'It p&fIl to me, therefolub that the StstUtO CX~2’088l~ the cOWit frVrer prOhibit8
upenlllng county funds upcnMlnten4noo ofa hlghv*y * If there aM any other stat- state UtSS 0~ deCi8fC2l8 VhfCh vould 4ffOOt thib OOn- 08049Cd IS ViOV Of thOy h&V0 PO*
OlUSiOJl, the80 StatUtOS OCrlWOtt sums nanC7 "Oonrlderablo 8~ now be- fxq expended upon thlb highwe upon theory hb above St4tSd,
th8t it 18 4 SktO hi&Way. tuadb 8~ the 92’004CbS bond funds
thO86
vhich cannot be CthWVf8O oxpendedr If
Ccmmls8loneM Court and I 8~ rib teken In our
Vfelib that t.kU OX'd6P Of the xi(5hW7 h?lUd8t41CZl
Honorable Ii. L. Washburn, Page 9
and We rubsequant aotlona In requesting
aoqulrltl0n of the additional right Of wy8,
actually nude thlr Ho&h Loop a State h&hwaP,
then of oouroe the expenditure of any further
funds from the prooeeddr of the bond lsrue for
the purohare of right of var a8 a State
h$h~~ vould be unlawful. 0~ U+e other hand,
8 a part of the State El way SprtsPa, it 8ew to me that the CouatP 8 expro88lP prohlblted by the 8tatutO f~~~e~~mninnaaj
funds in miatalalng any portian of it, Ple48e
give me your opinion upon the80 matter*, In
umwer to the que*tlonn above rpeolfloall~ pro-
pOUIbdOd.* of 1925 as
Artlole 667&n, Revlmd 01~11 Statutes amended by Aottr 1933, 43x-d Legislature, Chsptec 2O'i'j Act8 1935, Uth &gl8latwe, Chapter 199, olted but not quoted bQve reads in part a* followra
Vhenever, in the JudepPant of the State Highmar Caairrlon, the u8e or roqul6itlon
of any land for road, right of vay purpo8e(ID timber, earth, 8tone, gravel or other materi-
al, neoeera~ or oonvenlent to say road to be
oomtluoted, reoonstruoted, maIntained, ridened,
rtralghtened or lengthened, orlaadnotex-
oeedlng one hundred (1110) feet fn vldth for
stream bed diversion in oonneotlan tith the 100atlng, xwlo0ating or oonstruotlon or a*
Y by t the same may be aoqulred by pur-
Crairrian,
ohare or oondemaatlon by the County Coml8alon- era Oourt. Provldod tbat the County In whioh
the State BighvaP f8 100ated 58y pay ior same
outofthe Cauaty RoadandBrlQe Fund, orq
available oounty funds.
"ASP Caml88lrmem Court ir hereby author- lxed to 8eoure W puroharo or by ocadanatlon
on behalf of the State of Texas, SnJr nev or
t of vay land not exoeedlng one feet in vldth for #beam bed *10 Bonoreble Ii. L. U88hbUm Page 10
diversion in oonneotlon vlth the locating, r8-
lociting or oonstruotion of a desigaated State
HlghWsy, or land or larids for nreterlal or bor-
MY pits, to be wed in the oonstruotion, re-
oonstruotltm, or maintaaanoe of State Highways 8-e Out Of the bUILty Road
and to pay forth.
anil Bridge Fund, or outofany rpeolalroad
fuud8 or my available oounty fundr. The State
Highway Coa1ml8slon8h6ll be oharged vith the
duty of fUl’Sd8ning to the county ccausl881on0r8
Bononable II. L. kehbum, Page 11
undelr the oondltlon8 hereln set Out is hereby
oonferred on the State HI&way Cuaalrrlon and the jurirdiotlaa the exerolse of such right for
is hereby oanferred on the County Court of
Travis County. . . . ."
The OOlU'tS of %xas h4VO OOnSiStently held that Artlole 6674n, supra, authorleer the oaal88loner8~ oourt a8 agent for the State to pumhase or oondem land for
right-of-way purposes whenever in the of the State Hinhvu Oclri88im the MO Ol' 4OOUiSit dD suoh &Ad aeZe*iiry o;* ooavenlent in 00nGtl~ vith
loo&$ or& t$ni"f& de!e;Ky
~018 m tithin t&IO diSOZ'OtiOI& Ofs.thb x
Hllbarger oounty 081 Hall, 55 S.W.
Robbias VS: LiaertOne hunty, 268 3.V. 915; %athman VS. (26) 150; hH'SOA VS. m1hS COtUlty, , 12 8.U. Studer 22 S.W. (26) 709 and 255; Watt VI
EiiYP%d) San P&010 cOunty VSe M&011, & 3.w. (26) 295. first quo8 tlon, ve Aooordfngly, in anaver to your advise that the expendltwe of the oounty funds desorlbed in your letter State Hlghm9 right-of-way purposes was and is authorized.
Your seaond question presents a problem more dlffl- oult of proper detemiastlon. It appear8 to us thist the pcrl'4Illmt point OOlltl'O~~ the BE&J iSSIlO 18 PI $0 VhOXi 4 route rend beoomes a designated Stat0 Hl&n1a9 or a part of the 'State Highway Syrtfnu . To arrive at the ccmoluslon heroin reaohed we he00 made a diligent Study Of the hiStOry of the leglshtion that emmemtss the rights, duties and power8 the Highway CCmWil8~4lOn and the oommls810ner8t oourtr together vith an exhau8tivO re4roh oourt deoiSiOn8 Oon- *truing the various statutea.
Prior to adoption of Artlole 6674n, 8x4~8, as emended, the v4rlous oountler loeat& ooprtmoted ukd Mln- tained In vhole or in oonjuaotlaa with the Highvay Dopart- meat, the pub110 road8 within their respeotloe boundarler.
In many lmtanoer by oontraot with the mghwby Department funds for all pr@likinary, lntemedl- the oouotler provided ate and omaplete expenditure8 neoesra~ ~JI the seleotion Of *12 Iianorable Ii. L, Washburn, Page 12
4 route end the oon8truotioaa of a road for highway purposes, frequently in the expense of aal.ntenance thereof sharing after auoh mad had been aooepted as a Stat4 Highway.
The State Hlghvay Department, pursuant to its over a period of yaars, oreatlon end delegated authorities, its powers 4nd funotlon8 through the several 'exerol8ed OUUliti88 &lid defimd l'oad diStriOt8 Of the Stat0 as it8
4genOi48 for 84id plU'pO808, 4Zid 14tbl' l'e8mSbd full 4nd role adminirtretlaa, OOntrOl of, and jurl8dlotlOn OveF, the l49lng out, 4rt4bli8hmuit, oOn8truotlan4ndm4lnte-
aanoe of ell pub110 ro4dr vhioh were, or night beome, a part of the system Of darigneted State Highvaye".
Subsequently, In 1932, Aots the 42&Legls- lature 3rd Cfslled S48aio4, Chapter thereof (Artlole the "State JiSSuPrptiOn Of Highway &nds" Aot 6674&14), re4ding In part fraa the oaptlon thereof as vao rdoptad,
follov8r
"Deolaring 4 State pollo9 with refertolce t0 the OOllStIQCtiOll md leaiat~O% Of 4 s98tePl
of Sktehlghvays froma sour08 of inoaue other than ad valorarn t4XesI providing th4 aontrO1, for
OOn8tZ'UOtiOn 4rid noint4lUnaO Of 4 8ySterP Of
State hi&ways ot rt4te upense, and p4tit-
ting the oountier to fwnlah r&$&s-of-vayr'
The State Hlghv4y Carmafesion is authorised under '"to take over and =lnt&.n the varl- Articles @in, V.A.C.S.
ous Skte HighPayS in T8Xas, and the OOuL0iie8 through vhloh rha~ be free from asky Oost, BX enso or said highways peas Of suoh hi&VaySr” Aed in &'tiOla SUp4l’ViSiOl.i Qeflni- L, tion TbnaB", it 18 Said% thiE 4Ot “%%O tOr9 ‘highwrJ’ 48 USOd in .lnolude any pub110 road or thQrOughfa~e shall
or sectiOn thereof 4nd any bridge, oulvert or rtruotuxw ppertalnlng other no00884 thepa- tar Fhe tom- r* ah411 lnolude 00n- rovePraot9
Stl’UOtiOIA, l'OOOIi8tZUOtiCSl a&.ntenanoe, or
partial o0n8truotlon, reoonstruatloa or mein- temnoe and the maMng 4l.l neoesa4
4lld Stll'VWS OrSlti~ thOret0." (
OUZ-8)
Honomble II. L. UaShbUXR Page 13
Artlale 66740 entitled *Appropriation4 from Hlgh- my Pund” read8 aa foll0v4r
“All moneys now h6mafter de~ositcnl in the St4te Treasury to oredlt of the State High-
way Ipund', lnolud all ?ederr2 41d ooaeyyr de-
posited to ths 0md t Of Said fW& under
tens8 of the Federal Highway Aot and 411 oouaty to the aPedi of raid fund
4id moneys deposited
under the tens8 of be subjeot to this shall Aot
Ihe StateHlghwayDepartment, (Imertadbyoom- from Acts 1925, 39th Log,, oh. 186, pI
iler 57, a 5.).
t (zalpb4*i* ours)
hollow the prOV181OILS for the approprlatlom fma Btate Highway Fund the Lsgl8latum pr0vlded, Y.n th4t *411 OWt.%OtS
Artlole 6674h, V.A.G.S., pl’O908ttd t0 be made by the Stetr Highway Depsrtment for the Wmovament
ot 4ny hlghv49 oanstltutlng 4 part of the Stat4 Wshv4~
Sxvtsll or materbls to b4 used la th4 oonstruotlon or maintananoe thercrof shall be rubmlttsd to oomp4tltive bids.” Chapter 324, 48th Lsglsbturo, 1943 (Article the last p4II84@l the Reed Bond 6674q-l-14) oonrtltutee
A48WIpti04 Aot. The intervening Legislatures from 1932 to 1943 emoted measures slmaibr, with slight modlfiostiansr For the purpose OS thla opialon suoh Aot till hmeafter
be ivferred to APtlole 6674q.
Art1010 6674q-1 exprease4 the poll09 of the State 4ad we quote therefroza as follov8r
A It is further deOl4md to b4 the take over, acquire, polloy ~f*&e*rt4te i.wr- the interest cad equltlee of
o&484, 4nd reta*a *ad defined road distrlots
the various oountles
in 4nd to the highways, not prevlowly taken
over, aoqulred, and pu~~haaed and oonstltutlng
on January 2, 1939, a port of the rystem of
desiglmted &tat0 flighvays, 4nd to acquire and
purchase the lntereat and equities the v4rl-
OUS 00UtieS and defined reed diStI’iOt8 in aad
to the roads not oonstltutlng a p4rt of the
Honorable X. L. Washburn, Page 14
system of designated State Xigbvayr as of
January 2, 1939, and under the prov~8io~ of
this Aot to aoquire such interest and equities
la ruoh roads hereafter be oonstruoted with
PlonOT fb.dShOa bY fib
84id ooulaties and dir&iota
provide the 40QUi8itiOnL eStabli8bEWIt, for
oon8truotiOn, OXtOXiSiOIi sad development of the SyStO5 Of designated skt0 Kighw498 Of %bX46,
rraa acme sour00 of lnocane other than the
the mqnwr derived fpm ad valoren taxes,
. l . , as ladloated
Th4 Legislature, in Artlole 6704, V.A. C.S., reStriOted the 8USiaag width t0 lfhiah the OOUilE.t881O~er8' oourt 5349 rt4blish road to 100 feet. Readlug from a oounty the Aot Ve find 48 ?OllOVSJ
"Art. 6704.
%he ocrmniesloaem' oourt shall ol.4sslfy 4U publio road8 in their OOUZltiOS 48 fO~lOV8~
First ala83 roads 823411 be olear of 411 o2Lotlon8, end not less t&in forty (40)
feet no: more than one hundred (100) feet vldeJ
. . . .
Con8lderlng the above olted statutes together, we flndt
1. That the State Highway Departnent baa role end exclusive juriadlotlon over "State Rlgh-
V498", and the “State I&#~t49 3ystOd, loaabtiag,
oo&ruating and maintaining suoh out of Stete
l the ooWltie8 IIl49, 48 agent8 for
tht purahaee or oondemu l4nd State the Ate,
Hlghln39 purposes.
3. That whoa a publia road beaomes a pact “State Highway System* or designated *15 Honomble B. L Wshburn, Page 15
"State Highway" the counties Oarmot render aid or.expend thereon.
further funds 4. 'Phst the St4te tIighv69 Depart?Qent ahall reaelve Ompetltlve bids for the oon-
rtruotl0n or reconstruction of en9 part of the
8tt3te fiighws9 SySte&h
That 4 aouuty road may not be eata& lirh~*eto. 4t a vldth greater th4a the m4sl-
aua of 100 feet.
The pertlneat f4ot8, nece884ly to the &etemlnatlon ~08tiOl.I B&9 be St4ted 48 fOllOv8: MS 1. liarrls County, by bond eleotloo, to be used partloular oreated 4 fund purpose of puroh48lng rights-of-v4y for State
Bighwa98 in &X'.t't COWt9.
2. The at4t4 Higbw49 ccmml88104, b9
order dated June 23, 1942, derlgmsted the road
b qu45tlon “for future oon8truotlo~ and nmln- tewnoe purp08e8" reoltlng ln rsld or- further
der, *th.i8 dOsi~tiOI& to inolude SUOh OOnaeO-
tlon8.a8 4re neoeee4ry to serve Hlghvay 73 e44t
Of gOU8tOA". Tie oommie8loner8~ OOurt,pureuant to
rolioitatiau by the Highway cOm~~ission, pro-
oe4ded to aoqulre the neoersary 150 foot rlght- aotlng as 4gentr the State for State of-v4y
Bi&lW39 pUIcpO808. 4. Kelly Street, 4n integral part of the
releated mute, h4v%ng been vld4ned to 150 feet
is inn-urgent need of repair to 4ooon48od4te the
eXi8ting tI'affi0 th4Z'Wn.
E4ving oonsldered the relative rt4tuter 4nd reviewed the foata, we mwt now reek to deteaine the intention of the a8 it appear8 la the written portions or the law Legislature and the implied pr0vl8lo~ if such 4re found to uirt. Be- fore attmpting to give our oonoluslon8, we think it pertinent her8 to briefly state the question we seek to ansverc
Honomble H, L. Washburn, Page
- Do48 kelly Street beaame a part of the State Highway System or become a State Highway, within
the purview of the numerous StatUte8, by virtue
of th4 order of the Highway Comaiauion dated
June 23, 1942$ and the rubsequent acts of the
omslrrlonem oowt purruant thereto? Artiole defines, asiong other thlng8, 8~9~~ 6673, improvment to lnolude “and te akk5ng pi all plan8 and 81m- r4Umlnary thereto. ” ,e, 8U9IW, providr vey8 that the -Stat4 Hi&way Fuud p:2? .l be U84d ior. the 8p4oiflO M74 purpose 05 the &mo’swe~do~nai;d fsyatara of Stata Highways by the State I.i.iuhvar Dew * til Oolltl’aOt8 9PO9OSed tb be made by tiie &ate-Highway Department for tlse imorove- sent OS any highvay oonetituting a rt of th4 State
=:tz7ih; G,i.;%fl submit& to competitive %. be ‘fhe 48th hgialature in Chaptell 324, eupra, de- olared it the pollay of the State to take over the burden of the State Highwar System and to rei.mburSe the respsative counties for moneys heretofore exp4nded on suah ryatemj to oonstruation, provide for the aaquisitioii, e8tablfshment, OtO. Of 8uoh fIVXS fWd8 Other than
tyj sxpre88ed not only tba be made Out Of
~8tasl She11
fwther to 8ay that no furt
shall be made vith oounty money, exaept the aaqufeition of rights-OS-vay.
Th4 right of eminent domain to aondean any part of an 1.50 foot right-of-way for a State designated hlghva rests exelu8ively on the Highway &Ul&.881O~r Artiole 667 n, % 8UpI'1&j Robbin VII. Lime8ton4 kunty, 8U9Pr; Wilber&w Cbunty V’). &xl, 8U9I’&j Watt V8* Studer, 8U9lVd; IVeZ”Wtl V8* -1liiS County, supraj and Angler v8. Balser, infns,
Authority of the oormnlSSioner8@ oourt to aandemn land for OOunty road 9UmO8e8 he8 b4en OOn8tl’Wd to LiPit its takw o? a right-of-uay to a maxlm~m width of 100 feet a8 provided in Artiole Bryan ~8. XcKinney, 8~91%. 6704, S.W. 47!3.
iionorable Ii. L. Ua8hburn, Page
Our 8eamh Ma roverled a vast aumbes of court d8OishR~ deali;rr& with th4 right8 and power8 of the Stat4 and the OCUWLt88iCRePO' OoWt in OOO- u@2V6J biiSILiS81al deauri~ Und fnr iiighwy p~~po84s, luoludlq mung iuvolv- lag the Queetion 0s liability dana% Su8talA4d dwj.ng oolMtructioR aRd maint4Mnoe 0r 8&l high- the lqiqout, AVOW deolrion OOMi8t%ntly hold8 that Frau the in- -Y* th4 r416OtiM Of l rout4 end th. d48i(gnatiCd3 of 8taZAt to be a part oi the SWte lU@m18y System, tihu8 rut&r- rwh CauPt to grooeed m&m Artl0J.e &ail%& th4 00li&88100e~8~ 8014 and •M~UIS~V~ jwmlfotitnt
6674~. rqwa, that 0r t& DOUt4 ?48t8 iI% th# St8tO Eigh#J 8U4h D4pPfunt. IlI EB?~Q~ POUte a ai8hd 8UX’veJed iJUtaMe8 ill fJUe8tia -8 merely f’U%M or portkW$s ulth taa road improve- fleldr, 8tPip *OCOS8 wurtj another rltustlon found a hou8o and iarm impwweaentr 88Wblldred Vithhl the right-Of-W&RLJ boua&siea of the 8taked aew loow&xl or 120ut4. IR every riagle 4484 the court held tMt 8uoh location, plan oonatltuted ‘a part of the route Iilghwy 3yatea and uas det%i&iWiad fw state nlighway 3tate Watt VW 3tud4r, 8ltpMj Shelby Oount v* ~ldwell, pUFs4848.
48 9. V. (2d) 761~ Fletcher v. Xln$, 79 9. U. I ad)9801 U48el vm Real, 49 3. Y. (2d) 4751 he to State, ?7 b. U. (2d) 606.
m the oboe 0r San patri4ia count7 VI* bxv411, th4 Etl&hWJ CollP18UiOR 84144tOd 8 p,oposed POUt8 SU&@4, a8 0r su&h48a I&r&e aad Horn. fiighW8~ Ho. 9 through th4 lamls T&I &Nlld88iOtHW8' Oowt proooeded to ilGquir0 the ZWOW- wiry land and by agreed Judgment obtained the property of ap- th4 o-ement @leer. Tim lugbay Colnri88foa ptiw
ot ooastruotien over ruch route l4Ot4d to shrugs ruoh d48ip mtl.ea and 8818et4d oa rntirrsl~ dlffersnt 006~ Appelleea rought and obtained aa 1aJuuotlon in the dlrtriclt CouFt Fe- rP0a abmdoning aaid 0oroni88h1mr8* mam4g 009tFt th0 de8igDated aad
route fiP8t fiTom &U?OOUrW& right-of--Y th@ the n4rly deri@nLted rOWi around the ]sndr Of XW&-, OV8F ran4 aad Horae
Th4 oOWt Or ciVi1 App6i8lS u ~8V8~~ing &dP meat dl88olVed th@ injunotioa OlId raid in part a8 f411O!f8l
“It 18 apparent iron the bill on which th8 W8 @‘Wtod that hi&may 80. 9 i8 Wit 0 pFOpl’- OVOP Which desigllatcd ‘St&i8 Highuay’ tbs
nonoisble B. L. WashbUm, m&8 1.B
hi&may deprtaent he4 oontrol, and mat the i8 aotiag for aad
ooult~ conBll88lon4Po’ court in behgu and 4mder the c0ntr0i 0f that agpert-
nent in ~MOUP~~ the M.&t of w for MAid
hlghWy, a8 provided In art iolo 6% 4x1, a8 amond-
8d by the Forty-Plrst h&8latwe AOt8 1930, ‘I lag., 5th C.3., pa 243, 0. 79, ) 1 (Ver- hat
nm’8 &I& St. et. 667$0). It rOliOVS, oh.
thep4rofe, and 18 appr4at boa the petItlo
below, the power of d48l~tlIq the route that 0r hi&q Eo. 9, mith the land8 reierenoe to
Or &~3h48, u&%4, 8Rd ~~~, F48t8 in the high-
wy deprtaent, and aot ia the oonmirrionerr ’ rtate hlgbway oon8uleeIon- oowt, and ttat
or8 crp8 woersary pmtieo to any lltigiatiolr irr-
r8Oting t&W 0X4 POi80 Or that p oV4~0 . . l R In the cass 0r Bisairn, et al.
Yleilar fwtr axloted vs. Bean, et al., rugu-3, aad in other8 too numer3u8 to oft4 here.
IO i4igI4r V8. Balrer, 8upm, th4 OWM51SSSIfXW'8' court ua8 attemptipg to oaaderwl a right-or-uay @titer in vfdth than 100 f88t. Appellmt 8oqht 4aJoIa aueh a8
i118&@1 b4CU84 Or 8UbdiVfSiQIi 1 Or ibtfOl8 6704, ViOutiV8 oi 1925 a8 amcrnded by ti%ptsr 1.97, pore- Revlsed StatUt48 (;ira@~ 1, AOt8 1929, (Article 6704, V.A.C.S.). ‘The Auetin held that the co~nW3sio~s2r8~ aoUrt
Court of cIvilhp~lls acted a8 8$4llt8 for the State UpOn solicitati3a by tis St*te iiigkvsay COES&UJ~O~J hl&@y to b4 construeted Wro8.v that appgllant*o land had bssa dulg deel6gaatad 88 a 3tite Sigh- WY aad th4t 8U4h takil3& fo? Ytst8 RI&@y puYgO%tis lfa8 not ofttig &O%!n v8* HO-y, 8UOh&tIOl4. s'@-* VioWtiVe
mirierly ~4 viah to y00ur attantioa call to other point8 relating to the rtatut48 involved her4 UpQn vhI& th4 Cowt8 of Texas haV8 pZaoed their 0onstruotlone
COAs8t?UOtioA Of &AY hart 0r route ET BiQhwar Da- psrtJEent rak%o th% state v port7 beoause ruch oocut:~. .~~ sY5tem. ctty or Wlabtta lwla T
-- (26) 736~ Ceruouoh VI* ColorWo Couatjr, 18 3. W. Lp,Si,:.
l
--t%l7 VheA 5Wh route ia lsid out @DA- 8tru8tiM 18 8tarted thtl OOS?Qli55i~A%P5' %O(upt &$ ASJ fur&- or WV-, fW 5MAtJ puFpOSe5, in aonneation twevitb. Nil- 5upr8. buqpP Count7 VII. aal,
miag; umble rind authority colirlioting vith th% ~bOV% df%dSiOM, that b deaig&%ted St&t* Ye ~Mclude JUhwv w a S9Ut Or th% SWtO Ji.QbWS~ 3gsten -Mot be
UAMWW& b7 4%8rena aa mob but that the statutes express- lav determine, vhea maoh mute 17 aolrstltute, %Mb7: 01~ b08d .beOQSi65 * d%sigPated JSrt Or the 37steni. Tha H&@&y CQW in the 56le5tim mireion has 5zolu8iv5 jurirdioti0n 0r 5~5.33 aa vi11 aonatitute such System, but Lmu&&atel7 route or iwad 0r ruoh and the entering 0r upon exsraire di5oretLoo its order bslapl6rtlng to the aamnLss~o~~8~ oourt the author- ita th% Aoc%558Py land and such court proce%d5 it7 to aoquiP5 Woordiqly, rwh routs or cad bacstea dul7 designated.
We ther%foi?e, advIa% t&t in our opinion Kelly Street caald Aot ematftut% % dosigWtad Hi&@pvcLy 08 Stat5 IL prt 3tate El raaotiate be orths ctsmnot pa7 r0r & oount7 road. Aaoard mlntewmoe OP irngroVe5WAt of the rcled 98 such would oonstituto ma unauthorized undertaking and the lllte~l spend- ~ng 0f c0m7 rends.
Bonorable iI. I.. Waehbura, page 20
Ye vieh to thank you for the ercelL5at lettsr vhloh wag vary helpful aad hope tmt we b%ve eatlsiactor- pWseAt%&
lly onawcred the questLoAn
Yours very truly ATTOHHEY OEHE#AL OF TaxAS i Court PhtS or field notes ruoh right Of vay o? 18nd 8nd the de8otiptlon of suoh materiel8 as may be requlrud, after vhloh the Commia~lonerrr Court may, and is hereby authorllced to pUMhs8S or oondcan the mme, with title to the State of in ooomlanoe with 8UOh field nOtO8. Pro- Toxar, vided that in the event of oondmnatlonby t%UlltJ the PFO-dU’O Sbd1b th0 88816 (IS ththt set out In 'l'ltle 52, Articrles 32fi4 3271, in- Statute8 Of TOXBS, Of civil oh8iY0, Revised that if the County Commlssloner8 1925. Provided Court of any Count in uhloh suoh right of vay la, in the ~udgmen t the Shte glghuay Comais- *Ian, ne+3essary for the oonstruatlon of 6 part a designated State Highvay rhd1 fail or re- fuse to seoure by purohare or by oond8uwition on behalf of the State of Texas, ruoh right of vay or pert thereof, lmmdiately and as speedily as poesible, under said Title 52, Artloles to 3271, ~olusiv8, Revised Civil Statutes of Texas, of 1925, after being served vlth a oopy of an odder of the State Hlghvay Comml8slon ldentlfylng by field notes, the p8r.t 0r the Silghvay neoe88ary for the oonstruotlon of SuOh designated State zlighrpsp and requesting 8u8h County Com8lsslonerr Court to seauve same, thSn and in such eV83it Md Vithin t9ll (10) drr78 raid State after the service of 8uoh notioe, Highway Comml88lon shall dlreot the Attome Oeaeral of Texas, to irutltute oondemmatlon pro- oeedlngs in the name of the State of Tuxas, for the purpose of ssauring SUOh right of wag. 'Ilhe right of 8mlnent damin to oondemn 8ny part of a right of wag for a atate designated hlghvay,