Article 3. Joint Bridges of California Streets And Highways Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 5. >> Article 3.

Any bridge crossing the line between a city and a road district may be constructed and maintained, as provided in section 1391, by the city and by the county from the road fund of the district into which such bridge extends. Any bridge crossing the line between cities may be constructed and maintained by such cities as provided in section 1391.

Any bridge referred to in section 1390 may be constructed by contract, let as provided by law, by any city into which the bridge extends, or by the county into which such bridge extends or in which such bridge is located. Any such city or county may contribute toward the expense of the construction or maintenance of such bridge by the appropriation for such purpose of any money in its treasury not otherwise appropriated, upon such terms and conditions as are prescribed by ordinance or resolution of the governing body of such city.

If the proportion to be paid by any such city or county can not be otherwise determined, the expense of construction or maintenance of any such bridge shall be borne equally by the city and from the road fund of the road district into both of which the bridge reaches, or by the cities into which the bridge reaches.

The proceeds of any bonds authorized by the voters of any such city or county for the acquisition, construction or completion of any such bridge, or any portion thereof, may be expended or contributed as provided in sections 1391 and 1392.

(a) Any county may join with any city located within such county in the acquisition, construction or maintenance of any bridge or viaduct within the county, whether such bridge or viaduct is or is to be located within or without any such city.
  (b) The expense of the acquisition, construction or maintenance of any such bridge or viaduct shall be borne by such county and such city in such proportion as the legislative bodies thereof determine by resolution or ordinance and may be paid out of any funds available for such purpose.
  (c) The authority and responsibility for the acquisition, construction or maintenance of any such bridge or viaduct shall vest in the county or in the city, or in both, as provided in the ordinances or resolutions apportioning the expense.

Any bridge which crosses the line between counties, unless otherwise specially provided for, shall be constructed by the counties into which such bridge reaches. Each of the counties into which any such bridge reaches shall pay that portion of the expense of the bridge previously agreed upon by the boards of supervisors of such counties, even though such bridge reaches within the limits of a city.

The boards of supervisors in their respective counties may erect free county bridges on county highways across navigable bodies of water in this State.

If a navigable body of water is the boundary line between counties, the boards of such counties may join in the construction of a free county bridge upon the terms to which they agree. In the event of a failure to agree, either county may build a bridge and retain control thereof.

The board of supervisors of any county may declare that it is necessary for the public convenience to construct a bridge across any body of water or swampland which lies in or extends into the county, and may prescribe the points between which such bridge will be built. Thereafter the board may let any contract to build the bridge, and pay for any such work out of the county general fund.

The boards of supervisors of two adjoining counties may enter into an agreement with any person with whom such boards desire to collaborate for the purposes specified in section 1400, if such boards find that any of the following circumstances exist:
  (a) That any bridge is necessary for highway purposes over any navigable body of water lying between such counties.
  (b) That any existing bridge over any navigable body of water lying between such counties, and used wholly or in part for highway purposes, whether owned by either county or both counties, or used by either or both by agreement with the owner of the bridge, requires, in the interest of commerce or because of lack of repair:
  (1) Reconstruction.
  (2) Replacement by a new structure.
  (3) Relocation at a place on such navigable body of water better suited to the use of the bridge or to the use of such navigable water.

The agreement authorized by section 1399 may provide for any of the following:
  (a) The construction of a bridge.
  (b) The reconstruction of the existing bridge or its replacement by a new structure.
  (c) The rebuilding of the bridge at another location.
  (d) The joint use of the resulting bridge thereafter by such person and the public.
  (e) The apportionment of the expense of any bridge work between each of the counties and such person jointly using or to use the bridge. In no event shall either county agree to contribute more than one-third of the expense of construction, reconstruction, relocation, replacement or repair of any such bridge.
  (f) The construction and use of the bridge in the manner and upon the terms and conditions agreed upon between such counties and such person.

Any work done pursuant to such an agreement is exempt from any provisions of law regarding the letting of contracts by counties for the performance of any work upon bridges.

The board of supervisors of any county now controlling or maintaining, by virtue of any statute, any bridge across any navigable stream, which bridge is wholly or in part within any city, may whenever necessary:
  (a) Reconstruct all or any part of such bridge.
  (b) Replace such bridge by a new structure.
  (c) With the consent of the governing body of such city, change the location of such bridge to a location on the stream better suited to the use of the bridge or to the use of the navigable stream. The board of supervisors may abandon any such existing bridge and build a new bridge at such changed location.

The board of supervisors reconstructing, replacing or relocating such bridge may enter into an agreement with any person who is then maintaining any bridge across any such navigable stream, for the building of a joint bridge in order to prevent the impeding of commerce on such navigable stream, and to apportion the expense between the county and the person in any manner mutually agreed upon.

The expense of such reconstruction, or of the building of a new bridge is payable from the same fund provided by law for the maintenance and repair of any such bridge. If the county makes such an agreement with any person for the building of a joint bridge, the county shall pay from such fund only its portion of the cost of the joint bridge, as settled by the agreement. In no event may the county pay more than one-half the expense of construction, repair or reconstruction of any such joint bridge.