§ 39-1359. Rights-of-way; inviolate for state and department purposes; temporary use for special events; conditions; notice; Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act; applicable.
AI-assisted research summary: Counties, cities, or villages may temporarily use certain state highways for special events if conditions are met, but they must give 30 days’ written notice and take on specified duties and liability.
(1) The rights-of-way acquired by the department shall be held inviolate for state highway and departmental purposes and no physical or functional encroachments, structures, or uses shall be permitted within such right-of-way limits, except by written consent of the department or as otherwise provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section. (2) A temporary use of the state highway system, other than a freeway, by a county, city, or village, including full and partial lane closures, shall be allowed for special events, as designated by a county, city, or village, under the following conditions: (a) The roadway is located within the official corporate limits or zoning jurisdiction of the county, city, or village; (b) A county, city, or village making use of the state highway system for a special event shall have the legal duty to protect the highway property from any damage that may occur arising out of the special event and the state shall not have any such duty during the time the county, city, or village is in control of the property as specified in the notice provided pursuant to subsection (3) of this section; (c) Any existing statutory or common law duty of the state to protect the public from damage, injury, or death shall become the duty of the county, city, or village making use of the state highway system for the special event, and the state shall not have such statutory or common law duty during the time the county, city, or village is in control of the property as specified in the notice provided pursuant to subsection (3) of this section; and (d) The county, city, or village using the state highway system for a special event shall formally, by official governing body action, acknowledge that it accepts the duties set out in this subsection and, if a claim is made against the state, shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the state from all claims, demands, actions, damages, and liability, including reasonable attorney's fees, that may arise as a result of the special event. (3) If a county, city, or village has met the requirements of subsection (2) of this section for holding a special event and has provided thirty days' advance written notice of the special event to the department, the county, city, or village may proceed with its temporary use of the state highway system. The notice shall specify the date and time the county, city, or village will assume control of the state highway property and relinquish control of such state highway property to the state. (4) The Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act shall apply to any claim arising during the time specified in a notice provided by a political subdivision pursuant to subsection (3) of this section. History: Laws 1955, c. 148, § 59, p. 442; Laws 2011, LB589, § 4.