The proper municipal authorities in any municipality may enter into such contracts with any railroad company whose road lies wholly or partially within the municipality or whose route has been located therein as will secure greater safety to persons or property therein, or will facilitate the construction or maintenance of other than grade crossings of streets, highways or other railroads, or will provide for increased or improved station or terminal facilities and transportation service, or will improve the surroundings of or make more convenient the access to a station of the railroad within the municipality.

For such purposes the municipal authorities may construct sidewalks on, pave, repave, curb, gutter, lay out, open, vacate or alter the lines or change the grade of any street, highway, square or other public areas or places, and may lay out, improve and maintain public parks, plazas or other public places as a part of such improvements. The railroad company may locate, relocate, change, alter grades of, depress or elevate any of its railroad tracks, bridges or facilities, and construct new or additional tracks and transportation or station facilities as shall be specified and provided for in the contract.

For the purposes of this section the municipality and the railroad company may take by purchase or condemnation any lands or any interest therein required for such improvements and make such changes or conveyances of their respective lands or any interest therein as will facilitate such work.

The cost and expenses of such lands, changes and improvements shall be borne by the municipality and the railroad company in such shares or proportions as may be provided in the contract.

Amended by L.1962, c. 198, s. 135.