Where a public road maintained at county expense or controlled by the county is intersected by a railroad, the board of chosen freeholders of the county and the company owning or operating the railroad may enter into a contract to provide for the relocation of the public road and the relocation of the tracks of the railroad and to provide for such grades or changes in the grades of the public road and railroad as will facilitate the construction or maintenance of other than grade crossings upon the public road.

For such purposes the board of chosen freeholders may locate, relocate or vacate and alter the lines and change the grades of the public road, construct sidewalks and pave, repave, gutter and otherwise improve the public road as part of the improvement.

The railroad company may locate, relocate, change, alter grades of, depress or elevate any of its tracks, bridges or facilities, and construct new or additional tracks, as provided for in the contract.

For the purposes above enumerated the county and the railroad company may take by purchase or condemnation any lands required for such improvements and may make such exchanges or conveyances of their respective lands or any interest therein as will facilitate the work.

The cost and expense of any such lands, changes and improvements shall be borne by the county and the railroad company in such proportions as may be provided in the contract.

Any company owning or operating a street railroad on the public road at such crossing or crossings may become a party to the contract.

Amended by L.1962, c. 198, s. 136.