§ 24-12-1 - Definitions.
SECTION 24-12-1
§ 24-12-1 Definitions. – As used in this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the followingmeanings, unless the context shall indicate another or different meaning:
(1) "Additional facility" means any bridge, (excluding theSakonnet River Bridge), feeder road, highway, road, freeway, tunnel, overpassor underpass, in the state, equipment or signal and information system, whichthe authority is authorized by this chapter or any other law to construct,reconstruct, renovate, acquire, maintain, repair, operate, or manage after May3, 1954 or any portion thereof.
(2) "Annual period" means the one-year fiscal period of thestate commencing on the first day of July of any year and ending the last dayof June of the following year.
(3) "Authority" means the Rhode Island turnpike and bridgeauthority created by § 24-12-2, or, if the authority shall be abolished,the board, body, or commission succeeding to the principal functions thereof orupon whom the powers given by the chapter to the authority shall be given bylaw.
(4) "Cost" as applied to any project to be constructed,reconstructed, renovated, maintained, repaired, operated or managed by theauthority shall embrace the cost of construction, reconstruction, renovation,maintenance, repair, operation or management, the cost of the acquisition ofall land, rights-of-way, property, rights, easements, and interests acquired bythe authority for the construction, reconstruction, renovation, maintenance,repair, operation or management, the cost of demolishing or removing anybuildings or structures on land so acquired, including the cost of acquiringany lands to which the buildings or structures may be moved, the cost of allmachinery and equipment, financing charges, interest prior to and duringconstruction, reconstruction, renovation, maintenance, repair, operation ormanagement, and for one year after completion of construction, reconstruction,renovation, maintenance, repair, operation or management, cost of trafficestimates and of engineering and legal services, plans, specifications,surveys, estimates of cost and of revenues, other expenses necessary orincident to determining the feasibility or practicability of construction,reconstruction, renovation, maintenance, repair, operation or management,administrative expenses, and such other expenses as may be necessary orincident to the construction, reconstruction, renovation, maintenance, repair,operation or management, the financing of the construction, and the placing ofthe project in operation, and in connection with the Newport Bridge shallinclude the purchase price of the ferry franchise. The word "cost" as appliedto any project which the authority may be authorized to acquire means theamount of the purchase price or the amount of any condemnation award inconnection with the acquisition of the project, and shall include the cost ofacquiring all the capital stock of the corporation owning the project, if suchbe the case, and the amount to be paid to discharge all of the obligations ofthe corporation in order to vest title to the project in the authority, thecost of improvements to the project which may be determined by the authority tobe necessary prior to the financing thereof, interest during the period ofconstruction of the improvements and for one year thereafter, the cost of alllands, properties, rights, easements, franchises, and permits acquired, thecost of engineering and legal services, plans, specifications, surveys,estimates of cost and of revenues, other expenses necessary or incident todetermining the feasibility or practicability of the acquisition orimprovement, administrative expenses, and such other expenses as may benecessary or incident to the financing of the acquisition or improvement andthe placing of the project in operation by the authority.
(ii) "Cost" as applied to the Mount Hope Bridge means suchamount, if any, as the authority may deem necessary, following the acquisitionof a bridge under the provisions of § 24-12-40A, to place the bridge insafe and efficient condition for its operation. And as applied to any projectconstructed or acquired by the authority under the provisions of the chapter,the word "cost" shall also include such amounts as the authority may deemnecessary for working capital and to create a reserve for interest.
(5) "Department" means the department of transportation, or,if the department shall be abolished, the board, body, or commission succeedingto the principal functions thereof or upon whom the powers given by chapter 5of title 37 to the department shall be given by law.
(6) "Ferry franchise" means the existing franchises andrights to operate ferries belonging to the Jamestown and Newport ferry company,but not including any other intangible personal property or real estate ortangible personal property of the corporation which shall remain the propertyof the corporation.
(7) "Jamestown Bridge" means the existing bridge over thewest passage of Narragansett Bay between the towns of Jamestown and NorthKingstown constructed by the Jamestown Bridge commission under the provisionsof chapter 2536 of the Public Laws, 1937 and the approaches thereto, and shallembrace all tollhouses, administration, and other buildings and structures usedin connection therewith, together with all property, rights, easements, andinterests acquired by the Jamestown Bridge commission in connection with theconstruction and operation of the bridge.
(8) "Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge" means any bridgeconstructed in replacement of the Jamestown Bridge, as defined in subdivision(7).
(9) "Mount Hope Bridge" means the existing bridge between thetowns of Bristol and Portsmouth and the approaches thereto, which wasconstructed by the Mount Hope Bridge corporation and which was acquired and isnow owned and operated by the Mount Hope Bridge authority under the provisionsof chapter 13 of this title, and shall embrace all tollhouses, administration,and other buildings and structures used in connection therewith, together withall property, rights, easements, and interests acquired by the Mount HopeBridge corporation or the Mount Hope Bridge authority in connection with theconstruction and operation of the bridge.
(10) "Newport Bridge" means the bridge or tunnel orcombination of bridge and tunnel to be constructed under the provisions of thischapter over or under the waters of Narragansett Bay between Conanicut Islandand the island of Rhode Island, shall embrace the substructure and thesuperstructure thereof and the approaches thereto and the entrance plazas,interchanges, overpasses, underpasses, tollhouses, administration, storage, andother buildings, and highways connecting the bridge or tunnel with theJamestown Bridge (defined in subdivision (7)) and with state highways as theauthority may determine to construct from time to time in connection therewith,together with all property, rights, easements, and interests acquired by theauthority for the construction and operation of the bridge or tunnel orcombination of bridge and tunnel.
(11) "Owner" means and include all individuals, incorporatedcompanies, partnerships, societies, or associations, and also municipalities,political subdivisions, and all public agencies and instrumentalities, havingany title or interest in any property, rights, easements, or franchisesauthorized to be acquired under the provisions of this chapter.
(12) "Project" means the "Newport Bridge," "Mount HopeBridge," the "turnpike" or any "additional facility," as the case may be, orany portion thereof which may be financed under the provisions of this chapter.
(13) "Turnpike" means the controlled access highway or anyportion thereof to be constructed, from time to time, under the provisions ofthis chapter from a point at or near the Connecticut-Rhode Island borderthrough the county of Washington and the county of Newport to a point at ornear the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border in the town of Tiverton (excludingthe Jamestown Bridge, the Mount Hope Bridge, the Newport Bridge, and theSakonnet River Bridge), together with all bridges (except those mentionedabove), overpasses, underpasses, interchanges, entrance plazas, approaches,approach roads, tollhouses, service stations, and administration, storage, andother buildings and facilities which the authority may deem necessary for theoperation of the turnpike, together with all property, rights, easements, andinterests which may be acquired by the authority for the construction or theoperation of the turnpike.