NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1973 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 123

SENATE BILL 298

 

 

AN ACT TO TRANSFER ROAD MAINTENANCE IN STATE PARKS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  The Department of Transportation is authorized to construct and maintain all roads leading into and located within the boundaries of all areas administered by the Division of State Parks of the Department of Natural and Economic Resources.

Sec. 2.  All such roads shall be planned, designed, engineered and constructed through joint action between the Department of Transportation and the Divison of State Parks of the Department of Natural and Economic Resources. This joint action shall encompass all accepted park planning and design principles. Particular concern shall be given to traffic counts and vehicle weight, minimal cutting into or through any natural and scenic areas, width of shoulders, the cutting of natural growth along roadways, and the reduction of any potential use of roads for any purpose other than by park users. All State park roads shall conform to the standards regarding width and other roadway specifications as agreed upon by the Division of State Parks of the Department of Natural and Economic Resources and the Department of Transportation.

Sec. 3.  The State park road systems may be closed to the public in accordance with approved park practices that control the use of State areas so as to protect these areas from overuse and abuse and provide for functional use of the park areas, or for any other purpose considered in the best interest of the public by the Division of State Parks of the Department of Natural and Economic Resources.

Nothing herein shall be construed to include the transfer to the Department of Transportation the powers now vested in the Division of State Parks of the Department of Natural and Economic Resources relating to the patrol and safeguarding of State parks or parkway roads.

Sec. 4.  This act shall become effective on and after July 1, 1973.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 30th day of March, 1973.