§ 62. Maintenance by state of certain bridges over the canal system.
All highway or pedestrian, lift or movable bridges over the canal system
other than highway bridges connecting parts of a state highway
heretofore constructed as a part of the barge canal improvement shall be
reconstructed, improved, maintained and repaired at the expense of the
state, if in the opinion of the commissioner of transportation, the
public convenience requires such bridges to be maintained where no
alternate crossing has been provided. In the event the commissioner of
transportation determines that any such bridge is no longer required for
the convenience of the public, he shall have power to close, remove or
relocate such bridge. The commissioner of transportation shall have the
supervision and direction of such reconstruction, improvement,
maintenance, repair, closing, removing or relocation. All bridges over
the canal system other than lift, movable, pedestrian or state highway
bridges heretofore constructed as part of the barge canal improvement
shall be reconstructed, improved, maintained and repaired at the expense
of the state under the supervision and direction of the commissioner of
transportation, if, in his opinion, the public convenience requires that
each such bridge shall be continued as a bridge for highway traffic. In
the event the commissioner of transportation is requested by any
municipality to reconstruct or improve any such bridge, he is hereby
empowered to do so, provided, however, that prior to such reconstruction
or improvement the municipality enters into a written agreement that
such bridge thereafter shall become a part of the highway system or
systems which it may connect and the maintenance, repair, improvement,
replacement or closing of any such bridge shall be governed by the
provisions of the highway law, except that any such bridges situate in a
city shall be maintained, repaired, improved, replaced or closed in the
same manner and subject to the provisions of any special law which may
apply or to the same provisions of law as apply to other streets and
bridges in such city or in the case of such bridges situate in a
village, such bridges shall be maintained, repaired, improved, replaced
or closed in the same manner and subject to the same provisions of law
as apply to other streets and bridges in such village. Any bridge over
the New York state canal system or abandoned part thereof which joins
parts of a state highway shall be under the jurisdiction of the
commissioner of transportation and deemed to be part of the state
highway system and such bridges shall be constructed, reconstructed,
improved, maintained, repaired, closed or relocated pursuant to the
provisions of the highway law and the cost of such work shall be paid
from moneys available for construction, reconstruction, improvement,
maintenance or repair of state highways.