O.C.G.A. § 32-6-172 (2019)
Authority of department to obtain replacement right of way for relocated utility
(a) Whenever a public road improvement necessitates the acquisition by the department of a utility’s privately owned rights of way and the relocation of such utility’s facilities, the department may, with the written consent of the utility, provide a replacement right of way.
(b) Whenever a public road improvement requires the relocation of a utility occupying public road rights of way, the department may, at the written request of such utility, provide to the utility a right of way which is not on a public road right of way. In this event, the utility shall reimburse the department for the acquisition costs.
(c) Title to property acquired for utility relocations under subsection (a) or (b) of this Code section and as authorized by Code Section 32-3-1 may be transferred to such utility as authorized in Code Section 32-7-3. However, the procedures for sale of property as set forth in Code Section 32-7-4 shall not be applicable to the transfer of property acquired for utility relocation. Any such property transfer to the utility shall be conveyed by the execution of a quitclaim deed by the commissioner.
History
Code 1933, § 95A-1003, enacted by Ga. L. 1973, p. 947, § 1.
Annotations
JUDICIAL DECISIONS Editor’s notes. - In light of the similarity of the statutory provisions, decisions under Ga. L. 1961, p. 517, as amended, which was subsequently re-
pealed but was succeeded by provisions in this Code section, are included in the annotations for this Code section. Property appropriation for loca-
tion of gas company’s interstate gas line. - State Highway Department (now Department of Transportation) may take property for relocation of gas company’s interstate gas line when it was in interest of safety and prevents inconvenience to
public using gas line and when acquisition is in furtherance of and reasonably for a public state highway use. Benton v. State Hwy. Dep’t, 111 Ga. App. 861, 143 S.E.2d 396 (1965) (decided under Ga. L. 1961, p. 517).
RESEARCH REFERENCES ALR. - Constitutionality of state legislation to reimburse public utilities for cost of relocating their facilities because of highway construction, conditioned upon
federal reimbursement of the state under the terms of Federal-Aid Highway Act (23 U.S.C. § 123), 75 A.L.R.2d 419.