CHAPTER 311. GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO MUNICIPAL STREETS

TRANSPORTATION CODE

TITLE 6. ROADWAYS

SUBTITLE E. MUNICIPAL STREETS

CHAPTER 311. GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO MUNICIPAL STREETS

SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL AUTHORITY

Sec. 311.001. GENERAL AUTHORITY OF HOME-RULE MUNICIPALITY. (a)

A home-rule municipality has exclusive control over and under the

public highways, streets, and alleys of the municipality.

(b) The municipality may:

(1) control, regulate, or remove an encroachment or obstruction

on a public street or alley of the municipality;

(2) open or change a public street or alley of the municipality;

or

(3) improve a public highway, street, or alley of the

municipality.

(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or (b) or Section 311.007,

before a municipality with a population of 1.9 million or more

may install traffic calming measures within the municipality, the

governing body of the municipality must:

(1) publish standards and criteria, which must include

sufficient notice to allow the governing body to receive and

consider public comments from residents within one-half mile of

the proposed traffic calming measure;

(2) on request of affected residents, schedule and hold a public

meeting before implementation of the measure; and

(3) if the measure involves the closure of a street to motor

vehicular traffic, before the closure:

(A) hold a public hearing on the issue of the closure; and

(B) approve the closure by a majority vote.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch.

1321, Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009.

Sec. 311.002. GENERAL AUTHORITY OF GENERAL-LAW MUNICIPALITY.

(a) A general-law municipality has exclusive control over the

highways, streets, and alleys of the municipality.

(b) The municipality may:

(1) abate or remove an encroachment or obstruction on a highway,

street, or alley;

(2) open, change, regulate, or improve a street; or

(3) put a drain or sewer in a street, prevent the obstruction of

the drain or sewer, or protect the drain or sewer from

encroachment or damage.

(c) To carry out its powers under this section, the municipality

may:

(1) regulate or change the grade of land; and

(2) require that the grade of land be raised by filling an area.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.003. ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY OF TYPE A GENERAL-LAW

MUNICIPALITY. The governing body of a Type A general-law

municipality may:

(1) prevent an encroachment or obstruction on a sidewalk in the

municipality;

(2) abate an encroachment or obstruction on a bridge, culvert,

sidewalk, or crossway in the municipality;

(3) construct, regulate, or maintain a bridge, culvert,

sidewalk, or crossway in the municipality;

(4) regulate the construction of a bridge, culvert, sewer,

sidewalk, or crossway in the municipality;

(5) require a person to keep weeds, unclean matter, or trash

from the street, sidewalk, or gutter in front of the person's

premises; or

(6) require the owner of land to improve the sidewalk in front

of the person's land.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.004. AUTHORITY OVER SIDEWALK IN HOME-RULE MUNICIPALITY.

A home-rule municipality may:

(1) construct a sidewalk;

(2) provide for the improvement of a sidewalk or the

construction of a curb under an ordinance enforced by a penal

provision; or

(3) declare a defective sidewalk to be a public nuisance.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.005. MOVEMENT OF STRUCTURE ON STREET IN HOME-RULE

MUNICIPALITY. A home-rule municipality may regulate the movement

of a structure over or on a street of the municipality.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.006. AUTHORITY OF COUNTY TO IMPROVE STREET IN TYPE B

GENERAL-LAW MUNICIPALITY. To facilitate travel on a street in a

Type B general-law municipality, the commissioners court of a

county may construct a bridge for or otherwise improve the street

if:

(1) the street is a continuation of a public road of the county;

and

(2) the governing body of the municipality consents.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.007. CLOSING OF STREET OR ALLEY BY HOME-RULE

MUNICIPALITY. A home-rule municipality may vacate, abandon, or

close a street or alley.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.008. CLOSING OF STREET OR ALLEY BY GENERAL-LAW

MUNICIPALITY. The governing body of a general-law municipality

by ordinance may vacate, abandon, or close a street or alley of

the municipality if a petition signed by all the owners of real

property abutting the street or alley is submitted to the

governing body.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

SUBCHAPTER B. MUNICIPAL FREEWAYS

Sec. 311.031. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "freeway" means a

municipal street for which the right of access to or from

adjoining land has been acquired in whole or in part from the

owners of the adjoining land by the governing body of a

municipality.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.032. ESTABLISHMENT OF FREEWAY. (a) The governing body

of a municipality may establish, maintain, and operate a freeway.

(b) To establish a freeway by using a street that exists at the

time of the establishment, the municipality must have the consent

of the owners of lands abutting the freeway or must purchase or

condemn the right of access to the abutting lands. This

subsection does not require consent to establish a freeway for

the first time as a new way for vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.033. ACQUISITION OF LAND. For the purposes of this

subchapter, the governing body may acquire necessary property or

property rights by gift, devise, purchase, or condemnation in the

same manner that the governing body may acquire property for a

municipal street.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.034. CONTROL OF INTERSECTING STREET. The governing

body of a municipality may:

(1) close a street in the municipality at or near the place the

street intersects a freeway;

(2) provide for the construction of a street over or under a

freeway;

(3) connect a street with a freeway; or

(4) perform other actions on a street as necessary to carry out

a power granted by this section.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.035. LEASE OF LAND UNDER FREEWAY. (a) A governmental

agency that holds the title and property rights to land on which

a freeway is located may lease for parking purposes the part of

the land beneath an elevated section of the freeway.

(b) Revenue from the parking lease shall be used only for

general governmental purposes.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

SUBCHAPTER C. AUTHORITY RELATING TO RAIL TRANSPORTATION

Sec. 311.051. REGULATION OF STREET RAILWAY BY TYPE A GENERAL-LAW

MUNICIPALITY. (a) The governing body of a Type A general-law

municipality may:

(1) require a street railway company to:

(A) keep the company's roads in repair;

(B) conform the area in which the company's tracks lie to the

grade of the street on which they lie, if the municipality has

graded the street; or

(C) take measures to provide for the safe and convenient travel

of people on the street on which the company's tracks lie; or

(2) regulate the speed of vehicles that use the company's

tracks.

(b) The governing body by ordinance may establish penalties to

enforce a regulation adopted under this section.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.052. REGULATION OF RAILROAD BY TYPE A GENERAL-LAW

MUNICIPALITY. The governing body of a Type A general-law

municipality may:

(1) direct and control the location and construction of railroad

tracks, turnouts, and switches and prohibit the construction of

those facilities in a street or alley, unless that action has

been authorized by law;

(2) require that railroad tracks, turnouts, and switches be

constructed in a way that interferes as little as possible with

the ordinary use of a street or alley and that leaves sufficient

space on each side of the tracks for the safe and convenient

passage of vehicles and people;

(3) require a railroad company to keep in repair the street or

alley on which their tracks are located;

(4) order a railroad company to construct and keep in repair a

crossing at the place where the company's tracks intersect a

street or alley;

(5) require a railroad company to construct and keep in repair a

ditch, sewer, or culvert;

(6) direct or prohibit the use of or regulate the speed of a

locomotive in the municipality; or

(7) direct and control the location of railroad depots in the

municipality.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.053. CLOSING STREET FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES IN GENERAL-LAW

OR SPECIAL-LAW MUNICIPALITY. The governing body of a general-law

municipality or special-law municipality may close temporarily or

permanently any part of a street or alley for the exclusive use

by a railroad company or other corporation having the right of

eminent domain or may ratify an ordinance closing a street or

alley for that purpose if:

(1) the municipality operates under a municipal charter that

authorizes the governing body to take that action; or

(2) a majority of the qualified voters of the municipality

voting at an election on the question approve the grant of

authority to the governing body.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.054. RAILROAD QUIET ZONE LOCATED OUTSIDE TYPE A

GENERAL-LAW MUNICIPALITY. (a) This section applies only to a

Type A general-law municipality that is an enclave surrounded

entirely by a municipality with a population of 1.1 million or

more.

(b) The governing body of the general-law municipality may enter

into an interlocal contract with the surrounding municipality for

the establishment of a railroad quiet zone located outside the

boundaries of the general-law municipality that the governing

body determines will benefit the general-law municipality.

(c) A general-law municipality may expend municipal funds and

may issue certificates of obligation or bonds to pay for expenses

associated with a railroad quiet zone under Subsection (b),

including expenses related to feasibility, engineering, and

traffic studies and improvements related to the railroad quiet

zone.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch.

203, Sec. 1, eff. May 27, 2009.

SUBCHAPTER D. FRANCHISE TO USE STREETS IN HOME-RULE MUNICIPALITY

Sec. 311.071. AUTHORITY TO GRANT FRANCHISE. (a) The governing

body of a home-rule municipality by ordinance may grant to a

person a franchise to use or occupy a public street or alley of

the municipality.

(b) The authority to grant a franchise is the exclusive

authority of the governing body.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.072. PROHIBITION OF GRANT BY CHARTER. The charter of

the municipality may not grant to a person a franchise described

by Section 311.071.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.073. ELECTION AFTER PETITION. (a) The governing body

shall submit to the voters of the municipality the question of

granting a franchise to a person if, before the effective date of

the ordinance granting the franchise, the governing body receives

a petition that requests the election and is signed by 10 percent

of the registered voters of the municipality.

(b) In a municipality with a population of more than 1.9

million, the number of registered voters who must sign the

petition may be set at a lower number by the municipal charter.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 669, Sec. 133, eff. Sept. 1,

2001.

Sec. 311.074. ELECTION DATE. After receipt of a petition under

Section 311.073, the election shall be held on the first uniform

election date prescribed by Section 41.001, Election Code, that

allows sufficient time to comply with other requirements of law.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.075. ELECTION NOTICE. (a) Notice of the election must

be published in a daily newspaper in the municipality for at

least 20 successive days before the date of the election.

(b) This notice requirement supersedes the notice requirements

prescribed by Section 4.003, Election Code, except as provided by

that section.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.076. BALLOT PROPOSITION. The ballot at the election

shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the

proposition: "Granting of a franchise (brief description of the

franchise and its terms)."

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.077. EFFECTIVE DATE OF FRANCHISE. If a majority of the

votes cast at the election favor the proposition:

(1) the governing body shall declare that result on canvassing

the election returns; and

(2) the franchise takes effect according to its terms.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.078. DURATION OF FRANCHISE. A franchise under this

subchapter may not extend beyond the period set for its

termination.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

SUBCHAPTER E. FINANCING IMPROVEMENTS

Sec. 311.091. ASSESSMENT FOR STREET IMPROVEMENT IN HOME-RULE

MUNICIPALITY. (a) A home-rule municipality may assess a

landowner for the cost of improving a public highway, street, or

alley abutting the owner's land, if the municipal charter

provides for apportioning the cost between the municipality and

the landowner. The assessment may not exceed the amount by which

the improvement specially benefits the owner's abutting land by

enhancing the land's value.

(b) The municipality may issue assignable certificates for the

payment of the assessed cost.

(c) The assessment creates a lien on the owner's abutting land

for the assessed cost.

(d) Regardless of Subsection (a), a railway company shall pay

the cost of a street improvement made between the rails or tracks

of the company or made in the area extending two feet from a rail

or track of the company.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.092. ASSESSMENT FOR OPENING, EXTENDING, OR WIDENING OF

STREET OR ALLEY IN HOME-RULE MUNICIPALITY. (a) A home-rule

municipality may:

(1) acquire land necessary for opening, extending, or widening a

public street or alley by the exercise of the right of eminent

domain under Section 251.001, Local Government Code; and

(2) assess the owners of land located in the territory of the

improvement and specially benefitted by the improvement for the

cost of the improvement.

(b) The special commissioners appointed under Chapter 21,

Property Code, as part of the eminent domain proceeding shall

apportion the cost of the improvement between the municipality

and the landowners. The municipality's share of the cost may not

exceed one-third of the cost. The municipality shall pay its

share of the cost, and the landowners shall pay the balance.

(c) The special commissioners shall determine the land that is

located in the territory of the improvement and is specially

benefitted in enhanced value.

(d) The assessment creates a lien on the owner's land for the

assessed cost.

(e) The municipality may issue assignable certificates for the

payment of the assessed cost and may provide for the payment of

the cost in deferred payments, which bear interest at a rate

determined by the municipal charter but not to exceed eight

percent.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.093. ASSESSMENT FOR SIDEWALK IN HOME-RULE MUNICIPALITY.

(a) A home-rule municipality may assess a landowner for the

entire cost of constructing a sidewalk, including a curb,

abutting the owner's land.

(b) The assessment creates a lien on the owner's abutting land

for the assessed cost.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.094. OTHER FINANCING METHODS IN CHARTER OF HOME-RULE

MUNICIPALITY. (a) A home-rule municipality by charter may adopt

any other method of financing an improvement described by Section

311.091, 311.092, or 311.093.

(b) Another method adopted by charter for financing an

improvement described by Section 311.092 must:

(1) charge the cost of the improvement to the property and to

the owner of the property specially benefitted in enhanced value

by the improvement and located in the territory in which the

improvement is made; and

(2) describe the manner of:

(A) appointing commissioners;

(B) giving notice; and

(C) fixing assessments or otherwise providing for the payment of

the improvement.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.095. ASSESSMENT FOR STREET IMPROVEMENT IN TYPE A

GENERAL-LAW MUNICIPALITY. (a) The governing body of a Type A

general-law municipality, by a two-thirds vote of the aldermen

present, may improve a street or alley under this section.

(b) The governing body shall assess the land abutting the street

or alley improved under this section for two-thirds of the cost

of the improvement. The municipality shall pay the other

one-third of the cost. The municipality shall pay the entire cost

of an improvement at the intersection of streets.

(c) The landowner shall pay the assessment in not fewer than

five equal annual payments. A collected assessment shall be

appropriated for the payment of the bonds issued to finance the

cost of the improvement.

(d) After the governing body determines to make an improvement,

the governing body shall require the municipal engineer, another

municipal officer, or a committee of three aldermen to prepare a

report. The report must:

(1) contain an estimate of the cost of the improvement;

(2) list each lot or part of a lot abutting the street or alley

to be improved and list the number and size of the lot, the

number of the block in which the lot is located, the owner of the

lot or a statement that the owner is unknown, and other

information required by the governing body; and

(3) state, opposite a lot's listing, one-third the estimated

cost of the improvement of the street or alley abutting the lot.

(e) On the acceptance and approval of the report, the governing

body shall impose the assessment as taxes. After the assessment

is imposed, the individual or committee that prepared the report

shall give, as may be required by ordinance, notice of the time

in which the payment of the assessment is due and shall begin to

collect the payment.

(f) The assessment is a lien on the land until it is paid. After

an assessment on the land becomes delinquent, the individual or

committee that prepared the report on the assessments may seize

any part of the land that is sufficient to pay the assessment.

The individual or committee shall sell the seized land if the

assessment is not paid before the day of the sale. The

municipality shall give the same notice of the sale that is

required to be given in other sales to collect delinquent taxes.

The sale is subject to the same ordinance provisions that govern

the name, circumstances, and conditions under which a sale of

land may be made and the extent to which a sale may be made to

collect delinquent taxes owed the municipality. The individual or

committee shall execute a deed to the purchaser at the sale. The

deed used in the sale is subject to another statute that governs

a deed prepared by an assessor or collector of taxes for a

general-law municipality.

(g) The governing body may initiate a suit in the municipality's

corporate name to recover from a landowner an assessment.

(h) The governing body may adopt resolutions, ordinances, or

regulations necessary to carry out the authority granted by this

section.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.096. COST OF SIDEWALK IN TYPE A GENERAL-LAW

MUNICIPALITY. (a) The governing body of a Type A general-law

municipality may require the owner of a lot, or part of a lot or

block, in front of which the municipality constructs a sidewalk

to pay the cost of the construction.

(b) If necessary to collect the cost of the construction, the

municipality shall sell the lot, or the part of the lot or block,

in the manner the governing body of the municipality by ordinance

provides. The municipality may keep an amount of the sale

proceeds that covers the cost of the construction and the cost of

collection. The municipality shall pay to the owner the balance

of the sale proceeds.

(c) The sale of the lot, or the part of the lot or block, under

this section conveys a good title to the purchaser.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

SUBCHAPTER Z. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Sec. 311.901. REGULATION OF ANIMALS ON STREET OF TYPE A

GENERAL-LAW MUNICIPALITY. The governing body of a Type A

general-law municipality may:

(1) prohibit or suppress horse racing on a street or immoderate

riding or driving of an animal on a street; or

(2) require a person to fasten in place the person's horse or

other animal remaining in a street.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.902. STREET LIGHTING IN TYPE A GENERAL-LAW

MUNICIPALITY. The governing body of a Type A general-law

municipality may:

(1) provide for and regulate the lighting of a street;

(2) create or change lamp districts; or

(3) exclusively regulate or direct the laying or repairing of

gas pipes and gas fixtures in a street, alley, sidewalk, or other

place.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.903. STREET WORK REQUIRED OF INHABITANT IN TYPE B

GENERAL-LAW MUNICIPALITY. (a) The governing body of a Type B

general-law municipality may require the male inhabitants of the

municipality who are at least 18 years of age but younger than 46

years of age to work on the streets and public alleys. The period

of work may not exceed five days in a year.

(b) Instead of performing the work, a person may furnish a

substitute to perform the work or may pay a sum not to exceed $1

for each day of work demanded so that a substitute may be

employed.

(c) The requirement does not apply to a minister of the gospel

actually engaged in the discharge of the minister's duties.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 311.904. FORMER PRESIDENT'S STREET IN HOME-RULE

MUNICIPALITY. A home-rule municipality, alone or in conjunction

with another person, may regulate or restrict access to a street

or alley in the municipality on which the dwelling of a former

president of the United States is located. This authority

includes the authority to install and maintain a fence, gate, or

other structure.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.