Volume 52
Public Law 75–48
Authorizing the city of Rock Island, Illinois, or its assigns, to construct, maintain, and operate a toll bridge across the Mississippi River at or near Rock Island, Illinois, and to a place at or near the city of Davenport, Iowa.
Approved March 18, 1938
Statutory text
AN ACT
Authorizing the city of Rock Island, Illinois, or its assigns, to construct, maintain, and operate a toll bridge across the Mississippi River at or near Rock Island, Illinois, and to a place at or near the city of Davenport, Iowa.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That in order to promote interstate commerce, improve the postal service, and provide for military and other purposes, the city of
Construction.
Rock Island, Illinois, or its assigns be, and is hereby, authorized to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge and approaches thereto across the Mississippi River, at a point suitable to the interests of navigation, at or near Rock Island, Illinois, and to a place at or near Davenport, Iowa, in accordance with the provisions of the Act entitled “An Act to regulate the construction of bridges over navigable waters”, approved March 23, 1906, and subject to the conditions and limitations contained in this Act.
Sec. 2.
There is hereby conferred upon the city of Rock Island, Illinois, or its assigns, all such rights and powers to enter upon lands and to acquire, condemn, occupy, possess, and use real estate and other property needed for the location, construction, maintenance, and operation of such bridge and its approaches as are possessed by railroad corporations for railroad purposes or by bridge corporations for bridge purposes in the State in which such real estate or other property is situated, upon making just compensation therefor, to be
Proceedings.
ascertained and paid according to the laws of such State, and the proceedings therefor shall be the same as in the condemnation or expropriation of property for public purposes in such State.
Sec. 3.
The city of Rock Island, Illinois, or its assigns, is hereby authorized to fix and charge tolls for transit over such bridge, and the rates of toll so fixed shall be the legal rates until changed by the Secretary of War under the authority contained in the Act of March 23, 1906.
Sec. 4.
In fixing the rates of toll to be charged for the use of such bridge the same shall be so adjusted as to provide a fund sufficient to pay for the reasonable cost of maintaining, repairing, and operating the bridge and its approaches under economical management, and to provide a sinking fund sufficient to amortize the cost of such bridge and its approaches, including reasonable interest and financing cost, as soon as possible, under reasonable charges, but within a period of
Maintenance as free bridge after amortizing costs, etc.
not to exceed thirty years from the completion thereof. After a sinking fund sufficient for such amortization shall have been so provided, such bridge shall thereafter be maintained and operated free of tolls.
Record of expenditures and receipts.
An accurate record of the cost of the bridge and its approaches; the expenditures for maintaining, repairing, and operating the same; and of the daily tolls collected shall be kept and shall be available for the information of all persons interested.
Sec. 5.
The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is hereby expressly reserved.
Approved, March 18, 1938.