(a) In addition to the other powers conferred upon it by this act or by any other law and not in limitation thereof, the commission, in connection with construction or operation of any project, shall have power to make reasonable regulations for the installation, construction, maintenance, repair, renewal, relocation and removal of tracks, pipes, mains, conduits, cables, wires, towers, poles or any other equipment and appliances (in this section called “works” ) of any public utility as defined in section 48:2-13 of the Revised Statutes, in, on, along, over or under any project, public highway or real property, including public lands or water. Whenever in connection with construction or operation of any project, the commission shall determine that it is necessary that any such works, which now or hereafter may be located in, on, along, over or under any project, public highway or such real property, should be relocated in the project, public highway or such real property or should be removed therefrom, the public utility owning or operating such works shall relocate or remove the same in accordance with the order of the commission, provided, however, that the cost and expense of such relocation or removal including the cost of installing such works in a new location or new locations, and the cost of any lands or any rights or interest in lands or any other rights acquired to accomplish such relocation or removal, less the cost of any lands or any rights or interest in lands or any other rights of the public utility paid to the public utility in connection with the relocation or removal of such works, shall be paid by the commission and shall be included in the cost of such project. In case of any such relocation or removal of works as aforesaid, the public utility owning or operating the same, its successors or assigns, may maintain and operate such works, with the necessary appurtenances, in the new location or new locations for as long a period, and upon the same terms and conditions, as it had the right to maintain and operate such works in their former location.

(b) In the case of any such relocation or removal of works, as aforesaid, the commission shall own and maintain, repair and renew structures within the rights-of-way of railroad companies carrying any project of feeder road over railroads, and the commission shall bear the cost of maintenance, repair and renewal of structures within the rights-of-way of railroad companies carrying railroads over any project or feeder road but this provision shall not relieve any railroad company from responsibility for damage caused to any commission or railroad structure by the operation of its railroad. Such approaches, curbing, sidewalk paving, guard rails on approaches and surface paving on projects or feeder roads as shall be within the rights-of-way of a railroad company or companies shall be owned and maintained, repaired and renewed by the commission; rails, pipes and lines shall be owned and maintained, repaired and renewed by the railroad company or companies.

L.1968, c. 404, s. 34.