Article 3. General Powers And Duties Of The Authority of California Streets And Highways Code >> Division 17. >> Chapter 5. >> Article 3.

The authority may study the feasibility of, plan, design, finance, construct, operate, and maintain a tunnel from U.S. Highway 50 in the vicinity of Twin Bridges to U.S. Highway 50 in the vicinity of Meyers. The authority shall require that any tunnel constructed shall meet state highway standards.

The authority shall fix the rates of toll and other charges for the toll tunnel.

The authority in establishing toll charges shall give consideration to the cost of operating and maintaining the toll tunnel, including the cost of insurance, and to the amount required annually to meet the redemption of bonds and interest payments thereon. At all times the tolls and charges shall be fixed at rates to yield annual revenue equal to annual operating and maintenance expenses, including insurance costs, and all redemption payments and interest charges of the bonds issued for the toll tunnel as they fall due.

Toll charges so fixed may be changed from time to time as conditions warrant.

The authority may do such acts and make such agreements not inconsistent with laws as are necessary or desirable in connection with the duties and powers conferred upon it by law regarding the construction, maintenance, operation, and insurance of the toll tunnel or the safeguarding of the funds and revenues required for such purposes and the payment of the indebtedness incurred therefor.

The authority, through such engineers or experts as it may employ, shall design the toll tunnel, and may build it or any portions of it either by its own employees or by contract with any person. The cost of the toll tunnel shall be paid from the proceeds of bonds issued and sold pursuant to this chapter, or from contributions or appropriations from other sources as provided in this chapter.

The authority shall keep full, complete, and separate accounts of the toll tunnel and annually shall prepare balance sheets and income and profit and loss statements showing the financial condition of the toll tunnel. The statements shall be open to the inspection of holders of bonds issued by the authority at all reasonable times.

The authority may issue permits for the use of the toll tunnel on a credit basis. The holder of such a permit shall furnish to and maintain in force with the authority a bond executed by an admitted surety insurer, in an amount equal to twice the authority's estimate of the toll charges to be incurred under such permit during one month.

The authority may revoke any permit granted for failure of the holder to comply with its terms.

The authority may also require the holder of any such permit to pay a fee of not to exceed five dollars ($5) a month to cover printing and other overhead expense, the proceeds thereof to be deposited in the fund from which such expenses are paid.

When necessary to facilitate movement of traffic, the authority may limit the use of the toll tunnel on a credit basis to particular classes of vehicles.

The authority may adopt rules and regulations not inconsistent with the Vehicle Code for the control of traffic in the toll tunnel, to aid and insure the safe and orderly flow of traffic, and shall so far as practicable notify the public of such rules and regulations by signs placed along the route of the toll tunnel.

The California Highway Patrol shall have the authority and it shall be its duty to provide for proper and adequate policing of the toll tunnel, to insure the enforcement thereon of the Vehicle Code and rules and regulations adopted by the authority pursuant to Section 31131, and to cooperate with the authority, to the end that the toll tunnel be operated at all times in such a manner as to carry traffic efficiently. All required accident and supplemental reports, and all other reports made to the California Highway Patrol by any peace officer or employee of the Department of Motor Vehicles relative to accidents and incidents occurring on property of the authority shall be immediately available for the confidential use of the authority.