§ 24-6-1 - Order of abandonment – Reversion of title – Notice.
SECTION 24-6-1
§ 24-6-1 Order of abandonment –Reversion of title – Notice. – (a) Whenever, by the judgment of the town council of any town, a highway ordriftway in the town, or any part of either, has ceased to be useful to thepublic the town council of the town is authorized so to declare it by an orderor decree which shall be final and conclusive; and thereupon the title of theland upon which the highway or driftway or part thereof existed shall revert toits owner, and the town shall be no longer liable to repair the highway ordriftway; provided, however, that the town council shall cause a sign to beplaced at each end of the highway or driftway, having thereon the words "Not apublic highway", and after the entry of the order or decree shall also cause anotice thereof to be published in a newspaper of general circulation, printedin English at least once each week for three (3) successive weeks in anewspaper circulated within the city or town and a further and personal noticeshall be served upon every owner of land abutting upon that part of the highwayor driftway which has been abandoned who is known to reside within this statebut nothing contained in this chapter shall in any manner affect any privateright-of-way over the land so adjudged to be useless as a highway or driftway,if the right had been acquired before the taking of the land for a highway ordriftway. Provided, however, that the town of Coventry and any community with apopulation of not less than one hundred thousand (100,000), receiving a requestfor the abandonment of a highway or driftway from an abutting property owner,may sell the highway or driftway to the abutting owner at fair market value;and provided, further, that the town of North Providence, upon receiving arequest for the abandonment of a highway or driftway from an abutting propertyowner may sell the highway or driftway to the abutting owner at fair marketvalue; and provided further, that the town of New Shoreham, upon receiving arequest for the abandonment of a highway or driftway from an abutting propertyowner may sell the highway or driftway to the abutting owner at fair marketvalue; and provided, further, that the city of Cranston, upon receipt of arequest for abandonment of a highway or driftway within the city of Cranston,where the sale of the highway or driftway to an abutting owner would result inthe creation of a new lot which would be in compliance with the minimum arearequirement for construction of a building which is a permitted use, may sellthe highway or driftway to the abutting owner at fair market value; andprovided, further, that the city of Warwick, upon receiving a request for theabandonment of a highway or driftway from an abutting property owner may sellthe highway or driftway to the abutting owner at fair market value.
(b) Provided further that nothing in this section shall applyto private ways regardless of their use or maintenance thereof by any municipalcorporation.