222.37 PUBLIC ROAD; USE, RESTRICTION.

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Subdivision 1.Use requirements.

(a) Any water power, telegraph, telephone, pneumatic tube, pipeline, community antenna television, cable communications or electric light, heat, power company, entity that receives a route permit under chapter 216E for a high-voltage transmission line necessary to interconnect an electric power generating facility with transmission lines or associated facilities of an entity that directly, or through its members or agents, provides retail electric service in the state, or fire department may use public roads for the purpose of constructing, using, operating, and maintaining lines, subways, canals, conduits, transmission lines, hydrants, or dry hydrants, for their business, but such lines shall be so located as in no way to interfere with the safety and convenience of ordinary travel along or over the same; and, in the construction and maintenance of such line, subway, canal, conduit, transmission lines, hydrants, or dry hydrants, the entity shall be subject to all reasonable regulations imposed by the governing body of any county, town or city in which such public road may be. If the governing body does not require the entity to obtain a permit, an entity shall notify the governing body of any county, town, or city having jurisdiction over a public road prior to the construction or major repair, involving extensive excavation on the road right-of-way, of the entity’s equipment along, over, or under the public road, unless the governing body waives the notice requirement. A waiver of the notice requirement must be renewed on an annual basis. For emergency repair an entity shall notify the governing body as soon as practical after the repair is made. Nothing herein shall be construed to grant to any person any rights for the maintenance of a telegraph, telephone, pneumatic tube, community antenna television system, cable communications system, or light, heat, power system, electric power generating system, high-voltage transmission line, or hydrant system within the corporate limits of any city until such person shall have obtained the right to maintain such system within such city or for a period beyond that for which the right to operate such system is granted by such city.

(b) Any public water district, sewer district, or combination water and sewer district established under chapter 116A may install water and sewer lines and all other ancillary infrastructure within a public township, county, or state road right-of-way in accordance with paragraph (a). When installing water and sewer lines within a trunk highway right-of-way under this paragraph, a district must comply with the requirements under section 161.45, and Minnesota Rules, parts 8810.3100 to 8810.3600. §

Subd. 2.Pipeline.

Any corporation or any person or persons engaged in transportation within this state as a carrier of gas, liquids, or solids in suspension by pipeline or pipelines may use trunk highways or highways forming a part of the interstate system for the purpose of constructing, using, operating and maintaining such pipelines under and across such highways for their business, but such pipelines shall be located on such highway crossings as to in no way interfere with the safety and convenience of ordinary travel along or over the same; and, in the construction, use, operation and maintenance of the pipeline crossing, the company or owner shall be subject to all regulations imposed by the governing body of any county, town or city in which such highway may be. Any permit hereunder granted to such carrier or owner shall be subject to such rules as may be prescribed with respect to such crossings by the commissioner of transportation pursuant to and in accordance with section 161.45.

History:

(7536) RL s 2927; 1911 c 57 s 1; 1951 c 261 s 1; 1971 c 699 s 1; 1973 c 123 art 5 s 7; 1973 c 568 s 20; 1976 c 166 s 7; 1983 c 329 s 1; 1985 c 248 s 70; 1991 c 99 s 2; 1996 c 455 art 3 s 32; 2023 c 68 art 4 s 77; 2025 c 39 art 6 s 4

History: History: (7536) RL s 2927; 1911 c 57 s 1; 1951 c 261 s 1; 1971 c 699 s 1; 1973 c 123 art 5 s 7; 1973 c 568 s 20; 1976 c 166 s 7; 1983 c 329 s 1; 1985 c 248 s 70; 1991 c 99 s 2; 1996 c 455 art 3 s 32; 2023 c 68 art 4 s 77; 2025 c 39 art 6 s 4