Chap. 453.—An ACT to authorize the State highway commission to acquire, by
purchase, condemnation, or gift, ferries which are connecting links in the
tate highway system, and to operate or lease the same. [H B 234]

Approved March 21, 1924.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the
State highway commission be, and it hereby is, authorized and empow-
ered to acquire by purchase, condemnation, or gift, any ferry within the
State of Virginia which forms a connecting link in a State highway,
whenever the said commissioner shall determine such acquisition to be
advisable and expedient. The commission may expend from the State
highway system construction funds under its control at any time such
sums as may be necessary to acquire any such ferry; provided, however,
that whenever any funds are so spent, the said commission shall establish
a system of ferriage charges for the use of said ferry by the public at a
rate sufficient to reimburse the State within a reasonable time for the
funds so expended, and shall collect the same; or, alternatively, at its
option, shall lease for an adequate consideration such ferry to any
county or counties of this State or to any person, firm, association or
corporation, reserving the right to fix the rates of ferriage, and reserving
also the right to terminate said lease at any time upon giving six months’
notice thereof in writing to the lessee. The receipts from the operation
by the commission of any ferry acquired under this act, after paying
necessary operating costs, or from the lease of any such ferry shall be
paid into the State treasury to the credit of the State highway system
construction fund. The collection of such fetriage,; or the lease of such
ferry, shall continue no longer than may be necessary to reimburse the
State for the original cost of the equipment and other things necessary
for the opefation of the ferry, together with interest at the rate of six
per centum per annum, and when such costs shall have been collected in
the aggregate, including costs of collection and interest, the collection
of ferriage for the use of the ferry shall be only sufficient for its main-
tenance and upkeep less the average amount expended per mile for
maintenance on the State highway system and no ferry to be con-
sidered to have a length less than one mile. No permission shall be
granted at any time for the operation of a ferry to compete with any
ferry acquired by the said commission under this act, provided, however,
the provisions of this act shall not apply to ferries operated between
Portsmouth city and Norfolk city and Portsmouth city and Berkeley, nor
shall they apply to any ferry plying across the waters of the Elizabeth
river or Hampton Roads. |

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