A. For the purposes of this article, “landing” means a place on a river or other navigable body of water for loading or unloading goods or for the reception and delivery of travelers, the terminus of a highway on a river or other navigable body of water for loading or unloading goods or for the reception and delivery of travelers, or a place for loading or unloading watercraft, but not a harbor for watercraft.

B. Upon petition of the governing body of any county in which a highway, landing, or railroad crossing is located or upon petition of the governing body of a town with a population of 3,500 or less, or on its own motion, the Board may discontinue any highway, landing, or railroad crossing in the secondary state highway system as a part thereof in any case in which the Board deems such highway, landing, or railroad crossing not required for public convenience. If the Board on its own motion desires to discontinue any such highway, landing, or railroad crossing, the Board shall give notice to the affected governing body at least 30 days prior to such discontinuance. In addition, in cases where only a highway or landing or the maintenance thereof is to be discontinued, the Board shall give notice of such intention to the public at least 30 days prior to such action by publishing such notice in at least one issue in a newspaper having general circulation in the county in which the affected highway or landing is situated and, where practicable, by a registered letter to each landowner whose property abuts the section of highway or landing to be discontinued. For the purposes of this section, the Board may, where practicable, rely upon the tax records of the county to determine the names and addresses of such owners. These additional notice provisions shall not be required in cases where the section of highway to be discontinued has been replaced by a new highway serving the same users. If the governing body of any county or town requests a hearing, or upon petition of any landowner whose property abuts a highway or landing that is to be discontinued, the Board shall hold a hearing in the county in which the highway, landing, or railroad crossing is located in order to ascertain whether or not such highway, landing, or railroad crossing should be discontinued. From the finding of the Board, an appeal shall lie to the circuit court of the county in which such highway, landing, or railroad crossing is located and the procedure thereon shall conform to the procedure prescribed in § 33.2-905. The jurisdiction and procedure for abandonment of highways and landings discontinued as parts of the secondary state highway system in accordance with this article shall remain in the local governing bodies.

C. In cases where the Chief Engineer of the Department recommends that it is appropriate in connection with the completion of a construction or maintenance project to discontinue any highway, landing, or railroad crossing in the secondary state highway system, the Commissioner of Highways may discontinue such highway, landing, or railroad crossing as he deems proper. The entry by the Commissioner of Highways upon the records of the Department of the discontinuance shall be sufficient to constitute such discontinuance.

History

Code 1950, § 33-76.7; 1950, p. 731; 1970, c. 322, § 33.1-150; 1978, c. 337; 1981, c. 323; 2011, cc. 36, 152; 2014, c. 805.