Requirements For CDOT Colorado Department of Transportation Land Acquisitions

Prerequisites for land acquisition - department of transportation. Previously, the law provided that when the department of transportation (CDOT) needs to acquire land in order to establish, open, relocate, widen, add mass transit to, or otherwise alter a portion of a state highway, it may only acquire the land after:

• The chief engineer of CDOT has provided a written report to the transportation commission that describes the project and all land to be acquired for the project, includes a map of the existing and future boundaries of the highway, and estimates the damages and benefits to each affected landowner; and
• The transportation commission has determined that, after providing 10 days written notice to the affected landowner of the date, time, and location of the commission meeting at which a resolution to authorize a proposed action and the filing of a petition in condemnation for land will be considered and providing the landowner with an opportunity to be heard at the meeting, the project will serve public interest or convenience and adopted a resolution authorizing the chief engineer to offer affected landowners appropriate compensation.

The act authorizes CDOT, acting through the chief engineer, to acquire land in such circumstances by purchase or exchange without providing the report or obtaining transportation commission approval. If CDOT needs to acquire land in such circumstances through condemnation, it must provide the report and obtain transportation commission approval.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)