Public Law 92–552

That in order to facilitate interstate commerce by expediting the completion of inter-state bridge facilities across the Mississippi River in the vicinity of the city of Clinton, Iowa, the City of Clinton Bridge Commission (here-after referred to as the “commission”), created and operating under the Act approved December 21, 1944, as revived, amended, and reenacted, is hereby authorized to sell, convey, and transfer to the State

58 Stat. 846;

72 Stat. 851;

80 Stat. 272;

82 Stat. 737.

of Iowa all of its real and personal property, books, records, money, and other assets, including all existing bridges for vehicular traffic crossing the Mississippi River at or near the city of Clinton, Iowa, and the substructure constituting the partially constructed new bridge which has been designed to replace the older of the two existing vehicular bridges, together with all easements, approaches, and approach highways appurtenant to said bridge structures, and to enter into such agreements with the State Highway Commission of the State of Iowa (hereafter referred to as the “highway commission”), and the Department of Transportation of the State of Illinois as may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing: Provided, however, That at or before the

Indebtedness and liabilities, payment.

time of delivery of the deeds and other instruments of conveyance, all outstanding indebtedness of other liabilities of said commission must either have been paid in full as to both principal and interest or sufficient funds must have been set aside in a special fund pledged to retire said outstanding indebtedness or other liabilities and interest thereon at or prior to maturity, together with any premium which may be required to be paid in the event of payment of the indebtedness prior to maturity. The cost to the highway commission of acquiring the existing bridge structures by the State of Iowa shall include all engineering, legal, financing, architectural, traffic surveying, and other expenses as may be necessary to accomplish the conveyance and trans-fer of the properties, together with such amount as may be necessary to provide for the payment of the outstanding indebtedness or other liabilities of the commission as hereinbefore referred to, and permit the dissolution of the commission as hereinafter provided, less the amount of cash on hand which is turned over to the highway commission by the commission.

Sec. 2.

The highway commission is hereby authorized to accept the

State of Iowa, acceptance.

conveyance and transfer of the above-mentioned bridge structures, property and assets of the City of Clinton Bridge Commission on behalf of the State of Iowa, to complete the construction of the new replacement bridge, to repair, reconstruct, maintain, and operate as toll bridges the existing bridges so acquired until the new replacement bridge has been completed, to dismantle the older of the two existing bridges upon completion of the new replacement bridge, and to thereafter repair, reconstruct, maintain, and operate the two remaining bridges as toll bridges. There is hereby conferred upon the highway

Property, acquisition.

commission the right and power to enter upon such lands and to acquire, condemn, occupy, possess, and use such privately owned real estate and other property in the State of Iowa and the State of Illinois as may be needed for the location, construction, reconstruction, or completion of any such bridges and for the operation and maintenance of any bridge and the approaches, upon making just compensation therefor to be ascertained and paid according to the laws of the State in which such real estate or other property is situated, and the proceedings therefor shall be the same as in the condemnation of private

Iowa-Ill. agreements.

property for public purposes by said State. The highway commission is further authorized to enter into agreements with the State of Illinois and any agency or subdivision thereof, and with any agency or sub-division of the State of Iowa, for the acquisition, lease, or use of any lands or property owned by such State or political subdivision.

Revenue bonds.

The cost of acquiring the existing bridge structures, of completing the replacement bridge and of dismantling the bridge to be replaced and pay mg expenses incidental thereto as referred to in section 1 of this Act may be provided by the highway commission through the issuance of its revenue bonds pursuant to legislation enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa, or through the use of any other funds available for the purpose, or both. The above described toll bridge structures shall be repaired, reconstructed, maintained, and operated by the highway commission in accordance with the provisions

60 Stat. 847.

33 USC 525 note.

of the General Bridge Act of 1946, approved August 2, 1946, and the location and plans for the replacement bridge shall be approved by the Secretary of Transportation in accordance with the provisions of said Act, as well as by the Department, of Transportation of the State of

Tolls.

Illinois. The rates and schedule of tolls for said bridges shall be charged and collected in accordance with said General Bridge Act of 1946 and applicable Iowa legislation and shall be continuously adjusted and maintained so as to provide a fund sufficient to pay for the reasonable cost of maintaining, repairing, and operating the bridges and approaches under economical management, to provide a fund sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on such bonds as may be issued by the highway commission as the same shall fall due and the redemption or repurchase price of all or any thereof redeemed or repurchased before maturity, and to repay any money borrowed by any other means in connection with the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, completion, repair, operation, or maintenance of any of said bridge structures. All tolls and other revenues from said bridges are hereby pledged to such uses. No toll shall be charged officials or employees of the highway commission, nor shall toll be charged officials of the Government of the United States while in the discharge of duties to their office or employment, nor shall toll be charged members of the fire department or peace officers when engaged in the performance of their official duties. No obligation created pursuant to any provision of this Act shall constitute an indebtedness of the United States.

Sec. 3.

After all bonds or other obligations issued or indebtedness incurred by the highway commission or loans of funds for the account of said bridges and interest and premium, if any, have been paid, or after a sinking fund sufficient for such payment shall have been provided and shall be held solely for that purpose, the State of Iowa shall deliver deeds or other suitable instruments of conveyance of the interest of the State of Iowa in and to those parts lying within Illinois of said bridges to the State of Illinois or any municipality or agency thereof as may be authorized by or pursuant to law to accept the same, and thereafter the bridges shall be properly repaired, reconstructed, maintained, and operated, free of tolls by the State of Iowa and by the State of Illinois, or any municipality or agency thereof, as may be agreed upon.

Sec. 4.

The interstate bridge or

Tax exemption.

bridges purchased, constructed, or completed under the authority of this Act and the income derived therefrom shall, on and after the effective date of this Act, be exempt from all Federal, State, municipal, and local property and income taxation.

Sec. 5.

After all of the property, books, records, money, and other

Commission, termination.

assets of the City of Clinton Bridge Commission have been conveyed and transferred to the State of Iowa as contemplated by this Act, such commission shall cease to exist, without the necessity for any hearing, order, or other official action.

Sec. 6.

The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is hereby expressly reserved.