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Chapter #4

County rights under state law

Arizona Revised Statute Title 28 Chapter 19 Article 1 governs County Highway Construction, maintenance, and abandonment and establishes a process to establish, alter, or abandon a local highway.

ARS 28-101 Section 76 defines a “Street” or “highway” as, “the entire width between the boundary lines of every way if a part of the way is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.”

ARS 28-6701 describes the administrative process to establish, alter, or abandon a county highway.

  1. The board of supervisors may establish, alter or abandon a highway in the county and other legal subdivisions and acquire real property for these purposes by purchase, donation, dedication, condemnation, or other lawful means.
  2. A highway in the county or any other legal subdivision may be established or altered by the county engineer’s recommendation or by presentation of a petition that is signed by ten or more resident taxpayers of the county to the board of supervisors or to the board of supervisors by the governing body of a legal subdivision, that requests that a highway be established or altered and that gives the highway’s beginning, end, general course and direction. The board of supervisors may either reject the recommendation or petition or act on the recommendation or petition as prescribed by this article.
  3. The board of supervisors may abandon or vacate these highways by resolution as provided in chapter 20, article 8 of this title, except that, notwithstanding section 28-7211, at least sixty days before the resolution is effective pursuant to section 28-7213, the board of supervisors shall give written notice by certified mail to the owners of the land abutting the highway or portion of the highway to be abandoned or vacated. The board of supervisors shall not resolve to abandon or vacate a highway unless a majority of the owners of the land abutting the highway or portion of the highway approve of the action to abandon or vacate the highway.
  4. The county engineer’s recommendation process to establish or alter a highway as described in subsection B of this section does not apply to the abandonment of a road that was granted under Revised Statute 2477 (43 United States Code section 932) that was enacted by the United States Congress in 1866.

Chapter 20 Article 8 of Title 28 describes the Disposition of Public Roadways

Move to the next page to learn how Revised Statute 2477 applies to private property.

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Important RS 2477 Documents

Mining Act of 1865

1865 – The Mining Act of 1865 is written and introduced by Senator William M. Stewart from Nevada.

Senate Bill 16 – Proposed Amendment to the Mining Act of 1865

1870 – An amendment is proposed to grant special rights for the Sutro Tunnel in Nevada.

Senate Bill 16 – Statements of Fact from Senator Stewart

1870 – The founder of The Mining Act of 1865 opposes the proposed amendment and provides valuable insight into the legislative intent of RS 2477.

Federal Land Policy Management Act (FLPMA)

1976 – The Federal Land Policy Management Act, otherwise known as the BLM Organic Act, established the Bureau of Land Management multiple use mandate and repealed the Mining Act of 1865.

RS 2477 Settlement Act

1995 – The RS 2477 Settlement Act was introduced to settle disputes between the states and the Federal Government concerning RS 2477 roads, but failed to become law.

Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997

1992-1997 – The US Congress include prohibitions in the annual Appropriations Act to prohibit federal agencies from establishing any rule or regulation pertaining to the validity, recognition or management of RS 2477 rights-of-way without the express authorization of the US Congress.

Comptroller General Decision B-277719

1997 – The Comptroller General issued an opinion that made section 108 of the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act permanent law.

Government Accounting Office Opinion B-300912

2003 – The Government Accounting Office issued a second opinion re-enforcing Decision B-277719 concerning a memorandum of understanding between the State of Utah and the Bureau of Land Management.

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