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 Engineerof
t wrote to Mr. Albert
of Way Agent for Xtmrlr Counta,
l
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.
“The Rl&kt of Uay apartment
rent the
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
“*I lttaoh a latter from Mr. Albert
Tovnsend enalorlng a oopy of l minute order
0f th0 ht0 sightmy caPPi88icn 011 a~10 23,
1942, designat* lorth Loop Il. S. IIlghway
gu as a state hlghlmy. This minute should
be approved W the Gcmmi88loaars Court and
the order ~corded in its mlnuterr The Court
thereupan 8hould luthorfro 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 enteredan 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,
designating Iiorth Loop U. 8. Hlghwtq UC. 90 ,
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-
ton, be and la ho~w deslgrmtti for future
oonrtruotlon and aalntenanoe p~rp0808, ox-
tendLng fr o m l o a umo tlo n with th o present
II. 8.Hi& wa y 9 0east o f the Post WC Road
vort OS Houston, thexioo northnrrt to l oon-
nootlon vfth U. 8. alghvay 290, 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
dobi@atfcah t0 inChdO SUCh OClUlOCtiCZlSa8
W liOOO88~l7 t0 SOrVO SktO -Ifar v O&St
of Houston, It being alearly umlomtood that
thib dobigtlatioll #ha11 XlOt in slyr -P in-
OhdO rPlJ~OPti9U Oi th0 llOV eXiSti- PCSt
oak Rca4.
lhi it 18 tbt fibbl't
fUl’thOS Ol’dOl’Od
%llWd, wt
Of w8r &N3lt, b. authorired
t0 SO@UFO thb nSCO8U~ l’f&t Of V8 plmbl0
from the 1941 Bond Futld, st4to of bray
lt,inl~OOrbnoO Vfth hA8 Uld SpOOiii-
ems mdsurv~s of the rttato H&hvayDe-
partmoat. '
“Imwdiatol~ theredtor!, tho Right 0r
ti&yDOpdiROdi Of Ikl’dS tbWlty, a8 th0 4&&3lltS
of the 8tate Highmy Depertment, proweded to
w lO~fSfti~ Or tii XWOOS~I7 right Of my8
under authority of Artlolv 6674n. Vomon~r
hnotatod CL*11 %atutos. Uader th4 field
not08 and dab 834~pliod by tho Highvay Depart-
IS& ,th 0 Pi&it Of V8r lO~til’d -8 Ori&mb
lr 1 00 f-t, bUt *itOr l POPtiCll Of th. IlOOeS-
ury hid8 ha d
b een
lo q ulr o th
d, e
p la ns
wer e
vidaned to 150 foot. some of the ocnnootfng
S'O&~e~hWU&," ~iStW60 formed 13.&S flI
The who10 projoot till be
referred to ti ihls lotter as tho ‘Horth
Loop’.
‘As an uamplo OS tho pmtloubr prob-
fn ti OI808 vhen thorn V88 UI Uirtw
roadway, in or&m to oomply with the reqube-
m4BIAtS Of th0 sat0 8f&hmy ~~rtW& it IfaS
nOOO8~~ to g o t
lt b88t 90 fOOt Of k&i-
timal right of uirr to ulden tho utiting
tPU0 in th0 C&SO Of Ibw
ThiS MS
x.ellJ V88 origLa4llJ & feet vibe,
and at t the l’O~Ue8 t of the lilghvay Department,
,orable & L wabhbura, %3e 4
en 8dditiOml 40 ied VES first obklaod,
20 Poet on oithor rid0 of tho ort&lMl road-
tiub#equeat1~, tho Right of Uq Deqxwt-
2% vas Olderod t0 obtakr an rddltlcml 50
feet, making the total width 150 foot.
Aotunl airautruotlcn the Efghvay Depart-
ment cm xally street 8 no t b een ll-
b e g u n,
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
butaifttsd to tho VCtOM Of ~I918 &~IItyr
tie Of th0 i88UeS SUbittad WS for ~~,oo&oo
t0 b0 USOd iOr th0 SpOOifiC ~fpO80 Of WQUiP-
iog Pi&it Of my8 iOr StdO hl&~~S. -
bond8 VOlW VOtSd kCW%bO th0 iuadr W’tihbh
to tlao count othervl8e YOM lMufflolent to
pay for tho 8SICWtS Of SUPOILbiVO Pi&t
of way requiredfor the constructicn of the
stat0 llf@wa~. t%O bond pl’CCCOding8 SpeOifi-
Cd4 prOVf&d ut ll0 WPt Of thO80 funds
should ever be upended for any other purpose
thM tb 8O~ui8itiOZlOf Pi@& Of VagS fCP
dobigrutod Stat0 hl@Wa~.
*I hevo qucted tho oorrerpcndence and
th 0OPdeM lb OV0iOr th0 pUl”QO80 Of bhovtig
that thSM -8 PO ~OStiOll in th0 mind Of anJ
Of tb, OfffOhlS VhO 08iUOin OCIitrOtWith the
Mtter OPiginrllY that the de8igMtfCII by the
El&m Co%mit##ionthe Hcrth Lcop was final.
of
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
l St6te hi@.War, th0 oxpeadlturo Of buoh fU&S
thereon vould ooMtltuto 8 divor8ion, under
th@ WdhOritJ Of 8uoh #Se8 98 bore, tkU8Xt~
-0, VI9 tbfihm, 109 20X. 96, 200 8.w. 374;
end Blaok, ot al. VS. Streqth, County Jud@,
246 Sru. 79. !I’%0prOCOOding8 foa the 188uance
Of th0 bon& 8~OiffC8ll~ pbd@d this tid
623
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
vore of the opinion tht the ardor of the
btit0 =#Jhw -8SiOE U&S miffOi.ltt,
t&M la o~ootlcn vitr lll of the other
PrOOOebingS vhloh have beeli #ino hrd, t0
oonatltute tha Horth Loop a part of the
stat0 fus;tnr*r SyStM. Hence, the bond hnda
&ve been 4nd u-0 aov be* used for tho
purpose of p4ylng for the vldened rl&t of
v4y and th0 8OQUlSltiOn Of nov right Of vay
fOF thib stat0 arshvaJ.
508 such W3tiO3l &Viul? 18 th0 CCUIlty
ruthorlred to procoed by oandamn8tlon or
OthOTVi80b 48 th0 4&Sllt Of tb StrtO, t0 bC-
QUfl'O the 4dditiOMl MOO888r7, Pi&It Of V4y
for thi.8 projoot aal to pay for it aut of
tho bondihnd above mentioned?
"%b880C&W38tiOll8 hW0 been I’dSOd at this
SCBOVhat &to d@to booaurro of difffoUltle8
whhh ha*0 rrlsm p8rtluularlyla c0naeation
vlth Lilly Street, but vhlch vlll bo appll-
04blO to th0 Xorth LOOP a8 8 VhO~. By W-
SOlI Of it8 vldemlag urd inClvs#bd tl'aff%O,
EegaStreOt hb gotten intO I, vary bad oon-
on0 of the Mmbor8 of tho commi88lon-
OM C&t took the matter up vlth the Resident
Hnglnoor, and fnfomsd him that it would be
Il@OO$Sal7 to add t0 this StMOt & ocmldor
able amount of wterlalr In the opinion of
the bb41f88iOLLdl'b it Vi11 k llOOO886~ t0 add
to this street she21 or other paving materiel
in UOObS Of 1,000 oublo y8rdSr !hO Rd48fd6llt
Bo&lnet?r 4ddre88od a latter to the thunty Cora-
~i88fCblOP UldOP date Of Mwch Tr LndfC&ing
Hanorablo 8, L, W88hburq Page 6
th4t he YPS of the opinion that thomeintewnoe
of thlr portion of this State highway vas the
pcoblerr of Harris County. Hi8 lOthI St4t6hS.
la tho cuatara of the Hlghvay Ccmlrslcn
OVOr Such
,- I'+dS ffor M$lt6+bCO' adlr
'4ftOl' Wie OOIlStl'WtlCLLI 18 OCblpl~tbd'.
"I find my8olf umble to 8greo pith the acn-
oluriOn8 eap~rred by tho Dl8trlot Wgfnoor of
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 the ao-
=Kn of the right of v4y la 4ooodanoo
with t&IO 9Z’CV181CW Of tit:010 667kn, ~WWi%‘S
htlOt4tOd SktUtOS. b YOU knOW, th0 doCi8iOn8
OOMtAling thib St8tUtO hVe SSid thst it does
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, the
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
8t4teb or t0 SuCh Other 4 4ag OF kutX%menbl-
fty, $MOF41 OI lOC4l in f tb 8C090b 4; ;t 77
detormlno. t?l# UOPC18O Of this r&a I
politloal rubdivlsl0n of the state. or by focal
OffiOeM, ib founded UPCII~t8tUtCl”y 4UthCPit~
Ztmreror. ti0 1egiShtUM PJ UW’CiSe 908-
sorslcn of public mod8 yrd ocntrcl ovoc them,
by and throu@i 8uOh ag~Oie8 88 it may designate.'
"It 18 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
VOM Nthorfsed to aid in the OoMtruotfon and
lb4fJhZUXlOO #Of Uiy SeOtiCn Or SOOtfCM Of 4
maordemfsed, gravrlod or paved x-Cad or turnpike
in raid county conatltutfng a p4rt of the State
Hf@lWA~ 87StaE 4tld t0 Ntel' fnt0 CCIItFaOtS Or
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
13, seot:Cn 3. lot Sstibfied Vith 4 WF6 re-
peal of tho l uthorlty thoretoforo given to the
ootmty to upad funds for malnteaukoo of 8t4to
hf@V4 b the lOgi8l4tWO b7 StatUh OX9FO8817
prohlbI@ted such ~oXkd:tW%8, Other thM for
l’&ht Of V878. Art1010 6674q-4, Vemon@s Ann.
st.r I'MdO 48 fOlhVS8
"~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
for Jl ihrther oonstrw~lolr aad fmprOVerPsnt
Of atid byStOW ShlB~ bb E.&O, ~Mp6U'Sd Nd
g&r by the State Hlghv4y DepPrtaent. 5
fbIPmeV~SIl~: C3f Mid SFSt~~~h51~
nvldo vlth th d vlthlmy Y
nibhOd by the UOlUktit38 OXOOPt tn0 WZQUif5ftiOll
of right of ways vhich may be fumishod bs the
tlObs tholr ~t~diV18101~ or defioed awed
trictbr < th%S #h&1 in Ii0 WiSO offOOt
the curryin& Cutofanyblndlng oCntMot8nov
ufatlng between tha State Hlghv47 Depsrtment
and the Caml88loner8 Ucurt of any oounty, for
suoh oountyb or for any doffnedrod 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 to the State, Of highveyb of
durable type Of the greateat pub110 lleOe88ity.
"l(o) For tho oonstruotlon of hlghvaya,
porfooting and Utw l corrol8ted SyStWi
ci-&S~ hfghva78, Me9endontly frolpQtit8
“It 3.8 to bo noted that rubd.lvlslcn (8)
lb o vo .q uo
t4 tetl,
k la
.aocnnootlon with th e
SCIltUiC~ 9FOOCdb43 itb WkOS it th0 ~FOSS
SktutOX'y duty Of th0 St4tO Highvcr7 CCilfMiS-
#ia t0 mint8iB bU. 8t8te a&hvapS. ThO
other 8entmoo preceding thrrtulcloh I have
undorsoored above prohibit8 the C-X9@1tUM
Oi mOM7 by the COUlltiO8 Oli buoh aigaoa~b.
Th# wo Of thS void ‘inpZ’CV8lB~t8 ’ in the
first undo~oo~ rentonoo oamot bo mlrccn-
StNod bocaU80 the Stl4tUtO (&PtiClo 66744)
defin48 it t0 moau'
“‘%iO tom %j?lWV(311tXlt” #ha11 fWht%S
00n8tnrot10nb reccn8tlluotion or maintenuioe,
OP 94rtiP1 OCUl8tNOtiCXh, lvCOn8tNOtiCn Or
mslntwoo and the making of all neoessrry
PbUAS 4nd rurVryr 9relln&wy thereto.'
'It 18 p&fIl to me, therefolub that the
StstUtO CX~2’088l~ prOhibit8 the cOWit frVrer
upenlllng county funds upcnMlnten4noo ofa
state hlghv*y * If there aM any other stat-
UtSS 0~ deCi8fC2l8 VhfCh vould 4ffOOt thib OOn-
OlUSiOJl, thOy h&V0 08049Cd PO* IS 4 ViOV Of
the80 StatUtOS OCrlWOtt
"Oonrlderablo sums of nanC7 8~ now be-
fxq expended upon thlb highwe upon the theory
th8t it 18 4 SktO hi&Way. hb above St4tSd,
thO86 8~ the 92’004CbS
tuadb Of bond funds
vhich cannot be CthWVf8O oxpendedr If the
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 the
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 for 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
prohlbltedby 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.*
Artlole 667&n, Revlmd 01~11 Statutes of 1925 as
amended by Aottr 1933, 43x-d Legislature,
Chsptec 2O'i'j Act8
1935, Uth &gl8latwe, Chapter 199, olted but not quoted
lbQve 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
Crairrian, the same may be aoqulred by pur-
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 or land not exoeedlng one
feet in vldth for #beam bed
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
and to pay forth. 8-e Out Of the bUILty Road
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
Court the PhtS or field notes of 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
Toxar, in looomlanoe with 8UOh field nOtO8. Pro-
vided that in the event of oondmnatlonby the
t%UlltJ the PFO-dU’O Sbd1b th0 88816 (IS ththt
set out In 'l'ltle 52, Articrles 32fi4 to 3271, in-
oh8iY0, Revised civil Statute8 Of TOXBS, Of
1925. Provided that if the County Commlssloner8
Court of any Count in uhloh suoh right of vay
la, in the ~udgment of the Shte glghuay Comais-
*Ian, ne+3essary for the oonstruatlon of 6 part
Of a designated State Highvay rhd1 fail or re-
fuse to seoure by purohare or by oond8uwition
for or 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 3264 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
after the service of 8uoh notioe, raid State
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,
Bononable II. L. kehbum, Page 11
undelr the oondltlon8 hereln set Out is hereby
oonferred on the State HI&way Cuaalrrlon and
the jurirdiotlaa for the exerolse of such right
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 wheneverin the of the State
Hinhvu Oclri88im the MO Ol'4OOUiSit dD Of suoh &Ad 18
aeZe*iiry o;* ooavenlent in 00nGtl~ vith
loo&$ or& t$ni"f& de!e;Ky
~018 m tithin t&IOdiSOZ'OtiOI& Ofs.thb x
Hllbarger oounty 081 Hall, 55 S.W.
Robbias VS: LiaertOne hunty, 268 3.V. 915; %athman VS.
, 12 8.U. (26) 150; hH'SOA VS. m1hS COtUlty,
EiiYP%d) 255; Watt VI Studer 22 S.W. (26) 709 and
San P&010 cOunty VSe M&011, & 3.w. (26) 295.
Aooordfngly, in anaver to your first quo8 tlon, ve
advise that the expendltwe of the oounty funds desorlbed in
your letter for 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 or 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 of the Highway CCmWil8~4lOn
and the oommls810ner8t oourtr
together vith an exhau8tivO re4roh of oourt deoiSiOn8 Oon-
*truing the various statutea.
Prior to the 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
the oouotler provided funds for all pr@likinary, lntemedl-
ate and omaplete expenditure8 neoesra~ ~JI the seleotion Of
Iianorable Ii. L, Washburn, Page 12
4 route end the oon8truotioaa of a road for highway purposes,
frequently sharing in the expense of aal.ntenance thereof
after auoh mad had been aooepted as a Stat4 Highway.
The State Hlghvay Department, pursuant to its
oreatlon end delegated authorities, over a period of yaars,
'exerol8ed its powers 4nd funotlon8 through the several
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 of the 42&Legls-
lature 3rd
Cfslled S48aio4, Chapter 13 thereof (Artlole
6674&14), the "State JiSSuPrptiOn Of Highway &nds" Aot
vao rdoptad, re4ding In part fraa the oaptlon thereof as
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 for th4 aontrO1,
OOn8tZ'UOtiOn 4rid noint4lUnaO Of 4 8ySterPOf
State hi&ways ot rt4te upense, and p4tit-
ting the oountier to fwnlah r&$&s-of-vayr'
The State Hlghv4y Carmafesion is authorised under
Articles @in, V.A.C.S. '"to take over and =lnt&.n the varl-
ous Skte HighPayS in T8Xas, and the OOuL0iie8 through vhloh
said highways peas rha~ be free from asky Oost, BX enso or
SUp4l’ViSiOl.i Of suoh hi&VaySr” Aed in &'tiOla 667 L, Qeflni-
tion Of TbnaB", it 18 Said%
“%%O tOr9 ‘highwrJ’ 48 USOd in thiE 4Ot
shall .lnolude any pub110 road or thQrOughfa~e
or sectiOn thereof 4nd any bridge, oulvert or
other no00884 rtruotuxw l ppertalnlng thepa-
tar Fhe tom- r* rovePraot9 ah411 lnolude 00n-
Stl’UOtiOIA, l'OOOIi8tZUOtiCSlor a&.ntenanoe, or
partial o0n8truotlon, reoonstruatloa or mein-
temnoe and the maMng of 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 or 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 9 t Of Said fW& under the
tens8 of the Federal Highway Aot and 411 oouaty
4id moneys deposited to the aPedi of raid fund
under the tens8 of this Aot shall be subjeot to
Ihe StateHlghwayDepartment, (Imertadbyoom-
iler from Acts 1925, 39th Log,, oh. 186, pI
t 57, a 5.). (zalpb4*i* ours)
hollow the prOV181OILSfor the approprlatlom
fma the Btate Highway Fund the Lsgl8latum pr0vlded, Y.n
Artlole 6674h, V.A.G.S., th4t *411 OWt.%OtS 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 for materbls to b4 used la th4 oonstruotlon or
maintananoe thercrof shall be rubmlttsd to oomp4tltive bids.”
Chapter 324, 48th Lsglsbturo, 1943 (Article
6674q-l-14) oonrtltutee the last p4II84@l of the Reed Bond
A48WIpti04 Aot. The intervening Legislatures from 1932 to
1943 emoted measures slmaibr, with slight modlfiostiansr
For the purpose OS thla opialonsuoh Aot till hmeafter
be ivferred to 48 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
polloy ~f*&e*rt4te to take over, acquire, i.wr-
o&484, 4nd reta*a the interest cad equltlee of
the various oountles *ad defined road distrlots
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 of the v4rl-
OUS 00UtieS and defined reed diStI’iOt8 in aad
to the roads not oonstltutlng a p4rt of the
632
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 to be oonstruoted with
PlonOT fb.dShOa bY fib
84id ooulaties and dir&iota
provide for the 40QUi8itiOnL eStabli8bEWIt,
oon8truotiOn, OXtOXiSiOIisad 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 . ,
Th4 Legislature, as ladloated in Artlole 6704, V.A.
C.S., reStriOted the 8USiaag width t0 lfhiah the OOUilE.t881O~er8'
oourt 5349 lrt4blish a oounty road to 100 feet. Readlug from
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 823411be 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 HighwayDepartnent 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
tht the ooWltie8 IIl49, 48 agent8 for
the Ate, purahaee or oondemu l4nd for State
Hlghln39 purposes.
3. That whoa a publia road beaomes a pact
of the “State Highway System* or 4 designated
Honomble B. L Wshburn, Page 15
"State Highway" the counties Oarmot render
further aid or.expend funds thereon.
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
Of MS ~08tiOl.I B&9 be St4ted 48 fOllOv8:
1. liarrls
County, by bond eleotloo,
oreated 4 to be used
fund for the partloular
purpose of puroh48lng rights-of-v4y for State
Bighwa98 in &X'.t'tCOWt9.
2. The at4t4 Higbw49 ccmml88104, b9
order dated June 23, 1942, derlgmsted the road
b qu45tlon “for future oon8truotlo~ and nmln-
tewnoe purp08e8" reoltlng further ln rsld or-
der, *th.i8 dOsi~tiOI& to inolude SUOh OOnaeO-
tlon8.a8 4re neoeee4ry to serve Hlghvay 73 e44t
Of gOU8tOA".
31 Tie oommie8loner8~ OOurt,pureuant to
rolioitatiau by the Highway cOm~~ission, pro-
oe4ded to aoqulre the neoersary 150 foot rlght-
of-v4y aotlng as 4gentr of the State for State
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
Legislature a8 it appear8 la the written portions or the law
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 16
- 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 6673, 8~9~~ defines, asiong other thlng8,
improvment to lnolude “and te akk5ng pi all plan8 and 81m-
vey8 r4Umlnary thereto. ” ,e, 8U9IW, providr
that the -Stat4 Hi&way Fuudp:2? .l be M74U84d ior. the 8p4oiflO
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 be submit& to competitive %.
‘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
provide for the aaquisitioii, e8tablfshment, oonstruation,
OtO. Of 8uoh fIVXS fWd8 Other than
tyj sxpre88ed not only tba
~8tasl She11 be made Out Of
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&jRobbin 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~mwidth of 100 feet
a8 provided in Artiole 6704, 8~91%. Bryan ~8. XcKinney,
279 S.W. 47!3.
iionorable Ii. L. Ua8hburn, Page 17
Our 8eamh Ma roverled a vast aumbes of court
d8OishR~ deali;rr& with th4 right8 and power8 of the Stat4
u@2V6J biiSILiS81al and the OCUWLt88iCRePO'
OoWt in OOO-
deauri~ Und fnr iiighwy p~~po84s, luoludlq mung iuvolv-
lag the Queetion 0s liability for dana% Su8talA4d dwj.ng
the lqiqout, oolMtructioR aRd maint4Mnoe 0r 8&l high-
-Y* AVOW deolrion OOMi8t%ntly hold8 that Frau the in-
8taZAt Of th4 r416OtiM Of l rout4 end th. d48i(gnatiCd3 of
rwh to be a part oi the SWte lU@m18ySystem, tihu8 rut&r-
&ail%& th4 00li&88100e~8~ CauPt to grooeed m&m Artl0J.e
6674~. rqwa, that t& 8014 and •M~UIS~V~ jwmlfotitnt 0r
8U4h DOUt4 ?48t8 iI% th# St8tO Eigh#J D4pPfunt. IlI EB?~Q~
iJUtaMe8 the POUte ill
fJUe8tia -8 ai8hd
merely a 8UX’veJed
8tPip *OCOS8 fleldr, f’U%M or portkW$s ulth taa road improve-
wurtj another rltustlon found a hou8o and iarm impwweaentr
88Wblldred Vithhl the right-Of-W&RLJboua&siea of the 8taked
aew loow&xl or 120ut4. IR every riagle 4484 the court held
tMt 8uoh location, route or plan oonatltuted ‘a part of the
3tate Iilghwy 3yatea and uas det%i&iWiad fw state nlighway
pUFs4848. Watt VW 3tud4r, 8ltpMj Shelby Oount v* ~ldwell,
48 9. V. (2d) 761~ Fletcher v. Xln$, 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,
SU&@4, th4 Etl&hWJ CollP18UiOR 84144tOd 8 p,oposed POUt8 a8
fiighW8~ Ho. 9 through th4 lamls 0r su&h48a I&r&e aad Horn.
T&I &Nlld88iOtHW8' Oowt proooeded to ilGquir0 the ZWOW-
wiry land and by agreed Judgment obtained the property of ap-
@leer. Tim lugbay Colnri88foa ptiw to th4 o-ement
ot ooastruotien over ruch route ll4Ot4d to shrugs ruoh d48ip
mtl.ea and 8818et4d oa rntirrsl~ dlffersnt 006~ Appelleea
rought and obtained aa 1aJuuotlon in the dlrtriclt CouFt Fe-
mam4g aaid 0oroni88h1mr8* 009tFt rP0a abmdoning th0
route fiP8t de8igDated aad fiTom &U?OOUrW& th@ right-of--Y
OV8F the n4rly deri@nLted rOWi around the ]sndr Of XW&-,
ran4 aad Horae
Th4 oOWt Or ciVi1 App6i8lS u ~8V8~~ing the &dP
meat dl88olVed th@ injunotioa OlId raid in part a8 f411O!f8l
“It 18 apparent iron the bill on which th8
Wit W8 @‘Wtod that hi&may 80. 9 i8 0 pFOpl’-
17 desigllatcd ‘St&i8 Highuay’ OVOPWhich tbs
nonoisble B. L. WashbUm, m&8 1.B
hi&may deprtaent he4 oontrol, and mat the
ooult~ conBll88lon4Po’ court i8 aotiag for aad
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 ‘IAOt8 1930,
hat lag., 5th C.3., pa 243, 0. 79, ) 1 (Ver-
nm’8 &I& oh. St. et. 667$0). It rOliOVS,
thep4rofe, and 18 appr4at boa the petItlo
below, that the power of d48l~tlIq the route
0r hi&q Eo. 9, mith reierenoe to the land8
Or &~3h48, u&%4, 8Rd ~~~, F48t8 in the high-
wy deprtaent, and aot ia the oonmirrionerr ’
oowt, and ttat the rtate hlgbway oon8uleeIon-
or8 crp8 woersary pmtieo to any lltigiatiolr irr-
r8Oting t& 0X4W P Oi80
Or th a pto V4 ~ .0 .lR
Yleilar fwtr the cass 0r Bisairn,
axloted In et al.
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 to 4aJoIa aueh a8
i118&@1 b4CU84 ViOutiV8 Or 8UbdiVfSiQIi 1 Or ibtfOl8 6704,
Revlsed StatUt48 oi 1925 a8 amcrndedby ti%ptsr 1.97, pore-
(;ira@~ 1, AOt8 1929, (Article 6704, V.A.C.S.). ‘The Auetin
Court of cIvilhp~lls held that the co~nW3sio~s2r8~ aoUrt
acted a8 8$4llt8 for the State UpOn solicitati3a by tis St*te
iiigkvsay COES&UJ~O~J that the hl&@y to b4 construeted Wro8.v
appgllant*o land had bssa dulg deel6gaatad 88 a 3tite Sigh-
WY aad th4t 8U4h takil3& fo? Ytst8 RI&@y puYgO%tis lfa8 not
VioWtiVe of 8UOh&tIOl4. ofttig &O%!n v8* HO-y, s'@-*
mirierlyviah to call
~4 to y00ur attantioa other
point8 relating to the rtatut48 involved her4 UpQn vhI& th4
Cowt8 of Texas haV8 pZaoed their 0onstruotlone
COAs8t?UOtioAOf &AY hart 0r route ET BiQhwar Da-
psrtJEent
rak%o th% state v
port7 beoause ruch oocut:~. .~~
sY5tem. ctty or Wlabtta lwla
-- T
Lp,Si,:. (26) 736~ Ceruouoh VI* ColorWo Couatjr, 18 3. W.
l
--t%l7 VheA 5Wh route ia lsid out or @DA-
8tru8tiM 18 8tarted thtl OOS?Qli55i~A%P5'
%O(upt&$ ASJfur&-
or WV-, fW 5MAtJ puFpOSe5, in aonneation twevitb. Nil-
buqpP Count7 VII.aal, 5upr8.
miag; umble to rind authority colirlioting vith
th% ~bOV% df%dSiOM, Ye ~Mclude that b deaig&%tedSt&t*
JUhwv w a S9Ut Or th% SWtO Ji.QbWS~ 3gsten -Mot be
UAMWW& b7 4%8rena aa mob but that the statutes express-
17 aolrstltute, %Mb7: lav determine, vhea maoh mute 01~ b08d
.beOQSi65* d%sigPated JSrt Or the 37steni. Tha H&@&y CQW
mireion has 5zolu8iv5 jurirdioti0n in the 56le5tim 0r 5~5.33
route or iwad aa vi11 aonatitute such System, but Lmu&&atel7
upon its exsraire 0r ruoh di5oretLoo and the entering 0r
ita to the aamnLss~o~~8~
order bslapl6rtlng oourt the author-
it7 to th% Aoc%558Py land and such court proce%d5
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 Stat5 Hi&@pvcLy 08
IL prt orths 3tate El the raaotiate be
& oount7 road. Aaoard ctsmnot pa7 r0r
the mlntewmoe OP irngroVe5WAtof 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-
lly onawcred the questLoAn pWseAt%&
Yours very truly
ATTOHHEYOEHE#AL OF TaxAS
i