reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 81 § 7e (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 7e - Sale, Transfer, Lease or Rental of Excess Lands

Section 7E. The department may sell at public or private sale any land, or rights in land, the title to which has been acquired by the department for highway purposes, upon determination by the board of commissioners of said department that such land or rights in land are no longer necessary for state highway purposes. In the event of such public or private sale the department shall execute a deed thereof, with or without covenants of title and warranty, in the name and behalf of the commonwealth, to the purchaser, his heirs and assigns, and deposit said deed with the state treasurer, together with a certificate of the terms of the sale and the price paid or agreed to be paid at said sale. Upon receipt of said price, and upon the terms agreed to in said deed, the treasurer shall deliver the deed to said purchaser. The state treasurer may, by the attorney general, sue for and collect the price and otherwise enforce the terms of any such sale.  The department may, with the approval of the governor, transfer to another department, or to a city, town, or public authority or agency, any land the title to which has been acquired by it and which said board of commissioners determines is no longer necessary for state highway purposes.  The department may also, with the approval of the governor, lease or rent any land, or rights in land, the title to which has been acquired by it, and which land, or rights therein, said board of commissioners determines are not presently needed for state highway purposes.  The foregoing provisions of law with reference to the sale, leasing or renting of land acquired by the department, shall also apply to land, or rights in land, acquired by the department for maintenance sites; provided, however, that nothing contained in this section shall be construed as affecting in any way the powers, rights and duties set forth in section seven H.  In addition to the foregoing, the department may also transfer to another state department, land acquired from said state department for highway construction or reconstruction, which is no longer needed for said purposes. Said land shall be subject to such restrictions as may be imposed by the department for the use thereof.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 7f (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 7f - Entry on Private Land for Purpose of Surveys, Soundings, Drillings and Examinations

Section 7F. Whenever the department deems it necessary to make surveys, soundings, drillings or examinations to obtain information for or to expedite the construction of state highways or other projects under its jurisdiction, the department, its authorized agents or employees may, after due notice by registered or certified mail, enter upon any lands, waters and premises, not including buildings, in the commonwealth for the purpose of making surveys, soundings, drillings and examinations as they may deem necessary or convenient for the purposes of this act, and such entry shall not be deemed a trespass nor shall an entry for such purposes be deemed an entry under any condemnation proceedings which may be then pending. The department shall make reimbursement for any injury or actual damage resulting to such lands, waters and premises caused by any act of its authorized agents or employees and shall so far as possible restore such lands to the same condition as prior to the making of such surveys, soundings, drillings or examinations.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 7g (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 7g - Relocation of Public Utilities; Purchase of Lands and Easements

Section 7G. Whenever, in connection with the laying out, widening, relocating, constructing or altering of a public way by the department, land or an easement therein owned by a public utility company is taken by the department by eminent domain under chapter seventy-nine, thereby necessitating the relocation of the facilities of such company, the department may acquire by purchase or otherwise or take by eminent domain under chapter seventy-nine such land or easements therein as such company may designate for the relocation of such facilities, and convey the same to such company. Such conveyance shall be in lieu of any damages for the value of the land or easements therein of such company so taken by the department, not including, however, any damages for the cost of such relocation for which the commonwealth may be liable.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 7h (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 7h - Lease of Lands for Public Parking Facility

Section 7H. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department may, with the approval of the governor and council, lease land adjacent to, over or under a state highway for use as a public parking facility; provided, however, (1) the term of any such lease shall not exceed five years (2) the provisions of section eight A of chapter twenty-nine relative to notice of and proposals for any contract in excess of five thousand dollars for work under the supervision or control of the department shall apply to such leases (3) the lessee has filed with the department a statement under oath containing the names and addresses of the officers and directors in the case of a corporation, or of the person or persons in the case of a partnership or other voluntary association, or of any other person or persons, having any financial or beneficial interest in said lease (4) the lessee shall within thirty days after any change in the stockholders or persons holding any such interest file a statement thereof under oath with the department and (5) no such lease shall be renewed or extended except in accordance with the provisions of this section applicable to a new lease.  Whoever wilfully violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 7i (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 7i - Agreements With Railroads, Transit Authorities or Other Public Authorities or Municipalities Regarding Relocation or Other Work; Advancement of Funds

Section 7I. The department is hereby authorized to enter into agreements with railroad corporations, transit authorities or other public authorities or municipalities for the purpose of performing any work which may be necessary in connection with the construction of highways, roads, bridges and other public works undertaken by said department whenever such construction or work entails relocation, alteration or other work on the tracks, bridges, roads, pipes, sewers, conduits, wires, or other property of such railroad corporation, transit authority or other public authority or municipality and which may disrupt the free flow of public transportation. Whenever any such agreement provides that a railroad corporation, transit authority or other public authority, and municipality perform such construction or work for which the commonwealth is obligated to assume a part of the cost, the agreement may provide for the monthly advancement by the department to such railroad corporation transit authority or other public authority or municipality of funds covering the estimated cost of such construction or work then in progress.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 7j (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 7j - Relocation Assistance; Acquisition of Real Property; Payments; Compliance With Federal Acts

Section 7J. In any federally aided program, the department of highways, in this section referred to as the department, is hereby authorized and directed to do all things necessary to comply with the provisions of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (Public Law 91–646), as amended and supplemented, or with any other federal act relating to relocation assistance or acquisition, insofar as the federal government requires compliance with said Public Law 91–646 or said other federal acts in order to receive said federal aid. Under a federally aided program, in relation to any person whose real property is acquired, in whole or in part, by the department for a highway purpose, or any person lawfully occupying real property acquired by the department for highway purposes, or any person who vacated real property at the written request of the department because of a proposed acquisition for highway purposes, the department is hereby authorized and directed to make such payments, provide such assistance and do such other things as are necessary for the department to comply with the Federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970. If a highway project is not federally aided, then in relation to any person whose real property is acquired, in whole or in part, by the department for highway purposes, or any person lawfully occupying real property acquired by the department for highway purposes, or any person who vacates real property at the written request of the department because of a proposed acquisition for highway purposes, the department shall make the same payments, provide the same assistance and do the same things as the department would be required to pay to, provide or do for such persons under a federally aided program. This section shall not affect the obligations of the department under chapter seventy-nine A.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 7k (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 7k - Relocation of Facilities of Public Utilities; Entry Upon Lands

Section 7K. Whenever land or an easement therein is taken by the department by eminent domain for the purpose of relocating certain facilities of a public utility company, as authorized by section seven G, the said public utility company, its authorized agents or employees, after due notice by registered mail to the persons in possession of land so taken, may enter upon any such lands, waters and premises, not including buildings, as said company may deem necessary or convenient for the purpose of relocating its facilities, and such entry shall not be deemed a trespass, nor an entry under any condemnation proceedings which may then be pending.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 7m (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 7m - Acquisition of Land for Parks, Historic Sites, etc., to Replace Land Required for Federal Highways

Section 7M. Whenever a federal-aid highway program or project requires the use of any land which is part of a public park, recreation area or wildlife and waterfowl refuge of national, state or local significance as determined by the federal, state or local officials having jurisdiction thereof, or any land which is part of an historic site of national, state or local significance, as so determined by such officials, and there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the use of such land, the department, in order to minimize harm to such park, recreational area, wildlife and waterfowl refuge or historic site, may acquire by eminent domain under chapter seventy-nine, purchase or otherwise on behalf of the commonwealth or on behalf of any department, public body, agency or instrumentality of the commonwealth or on behalf of any political subdivision thereof, land to replace that which was required for use in the highway program. The department shall convey such replacement land or transfer the custody, care and control of such replacement land to the owner of the public park, recreational area, wildlife and waterfowl refuge or historic site required for highway use, including private owners or any department, public body, agency of the commonwealth or to any political subdivision thereof and such conveyance or transfer may be partially or entirely in lieu of damages for the land acquired from such owners; provided, however, that in the case of private owners such conveyance may be made only with the consent of such owner. The words ''historic site'' as used in this section shall include archeological sites as defined and regulated by sections twenty-six A to twenty-seven C of chapter nine.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 8 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 8 - Construction of State Highways; Advertising for Proposals

Section 8. The department, when about to construct a state highway, shall advertise in two or more newspapers published in each county in which the highway lies, and in three or more daily newspapers published in Boston, for sealed proposals for the construction of such highway, stating the time and place for opening such proposals, and reserving the right to reject any and all proposals. If a proposal is satisfactory, the department, with the approval of the governor and council, shall make a contract in writing on behalf of the commonwealth for such construction. After the proposals have been accepted or rejected they shall be kept by the department, and shall be open to public inspection for three years, and may then be destroyed by the department. The department may, in the same manner and under the same conditions, contract for the grading of a state highway or for furnishing labor, materials or any other element in its construction. The construction of all state highways shall be under the supervision and subject to the approval of the department and in accordance with plans and specifications furnished by it, and shall be fairly apportioned by the department among the different counties.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 8c (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 8c - Restriction Upon Hours During Which Nonemergency Work May Be Performed on Certain Highways

Section 8C. Any contract for the resurfacing, maintenance, minor reconstruction or minor repair of any major state highway or numbered route within the city of Boston, between said city and state highway route 128, of state highway route 3 as far south as the junction of state highway route 139, on which the average daily traffic exceeds 70,000 vehicles per day, and any contract for the maintenance, minor reconstruction or minor repair of state highway route 128 between its junction with state highway route 3 in the town of Braintree and its junction with United States route 1 in the town of Lynnfield, to be awarded by the division of highways, the department of conservation and recreation or by a municipality under section 34 of chapter 90 shall, unless such contract involves the performance of emergency work as described in this section, provide that no work shall be performed between the hours of 6:30 and 9:00 a.m. on lanes inbound to the city of Boston or between the hours of 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. on lanes outbound from the city of Boston, Monday through Friday, except holidays. No such work, except emergency work, shall be performed on such a highway or route by a public employee during such hours. As used in this section emergency work shall include only those projects immediately necessary to ensure the safety of persons using such highways or routes.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 10 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 10 - Contributions by Cities and Towns

Section 10. The mayor, selectmen or road commissioners or the board or officer having charge of the maintenance and care of highways, if so authorized by the city council or by the town, may agree in writing, in behalf of such city or town, to contribute money, labor or materials toward the cost of any state highway which the department proposes to lay out and construct within such city or town.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 11 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 11 - Acquisition of Land to Supply Road Materials

Section 11. The department shall have the same power as aldermen, selectmen or road commissioners in relation to the purchase or taking of land to furnish materials for the construction, repair or improvement of public ways in the manner provided in section thirty-eight of chapter eighty-two; provided, that all contracts for such purchase and all takings by the department shall first be approved by the governor and council. Such purchases or taking shall not operate in any way to interfere with the control of the police departments of the various municipalities within the land so taken. Land taken under this section shall be held and used for no other purpose than as specified herein; provided, that the department may allow county, city or town officers to use materials from such land for the above specified purposes upon such terms as may be agreed upon. For this purpose the department may expend not more than five thousand dollars in any year. Any person sustaining injury or damage by any taking of land or rights in land under this section may recover compensation therefor from the commonwealth under chapter seventy-nine.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 12 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 12 - Discontinuance or Abandonment

Section 12. The department, with the concurrence of the county commissioners, may discontinue as a state highway any way or section of way laid out and constructed under the provisions of section five by filing in the office of the county commissioners for the county and in the office of the clerk of the town in which such way is situated a certified copy of a plan showing the way so discontinued and a certificate that it has discontinued such way; and thereafter the way or section of way so discontinued shall be a town way. Said department may also abandon any land or rights in land which may have been taken or acquired by it by filing in the office of the county commissioners for the county and in the office of the clerk of the town in which such land is situated a certified copy of a plan showing the land so abandoned and a certificate that it has abandoned such land, and by filing for record in the registry of deeds for the county or district in which the land lies a description and plan of the land so abandoned; and said abandonment shall revest the title to the land or rights abandoned in the persons in whom it was vested at the time of the taking, or their heirs and assigns.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 13 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 13 - Duties of Department; Definition of State Highway

Section 13. State highways shall be maintained and kept in good repair and condition by the department at the expense of the commonwealth. The department shall keep all state highways reasonably clear of brush and shall cause suitable shade trees to be planted thereon if practicable. As used in this chapter, the term ''state highways'' includes such public roads in state forests, parks and reservations outside of the metropolitan parks district, and such public roads within the limits of any property under the control of any department, board or commission of the commonwealth, as may from time to time be designated by the department as roads for general public use and approved for such use by the executive head of the department, board or commission controlling such property. The department shall, subject to appropriation, construct, improve and maintain all roads on such property.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 13a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 13a - Highway Landscaping; Acceptance of Gifts of Easements

Section 13A. The department may accept in behalf of the commonwealth from owners of lands included in a strip one hundred feet deep bordering on a state highway voluntary gifts by deed or will of easements in such lands, giving the commonwealth the right to enter thereon at any time and in any manner for the purpose of landscaping such land by removing therefrom or rearranging thereon vegetable growths and surface minerals, by setting out and planting thereon vegetable growths, by depositing thereon minerals, by rearranging the contour of the land when deemed advisable, or by any or all of the foregoing methods. The department may improve lands in which such easements are granted, so as to carry out a comprehensive plan of highway beautification, artistic landscaping and scenic development, to the extent that appropriations are available therefor.  Such easements shall be accepted only on the condition that such lands shall remain fully subject to local taxation to the owners of the fee.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 13b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 13b - Restoration, Preservation and Enhancement of Scenic Beauty and Historic or Archeological Sites; Facilities for Traveling Motorists

Section 13B. The department may acquire by eminent domain under the provisions of chapter seventy-nine or by purchase or otherwise land and rights in land within or adjacent to federal-aid highways of the commonwealth for the purpose of restoring, preserving and enhancing scenic beauty, or, with the approval of the Massachusetts historical commission and subject to the availability of federal reimbursement, historic or archeological sites, and of providing publicly owned and controlled rest and recreation areas and sanitary and other facilities to accommodate the traveling public. The department may improve such lands, and may expend for the purposes of this section such sums as may be appropriated therefor.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 14 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 14 - Removal of Trees and Other Obstructions Near Highways

Section 14. The department, if it can obtain consent of the owner, shall remove the trees, limbs of trees, shrubbery or any structure or other obstacle from lands bordering upon state highways, which in its opinion obstruct the view of persons traveling upon the highway or make traveling thereon dangerous. If the owner does not desire the material which has been so removed, the department may sell or otherwise dispose of it. The department shall cause all debris resulting from any cutting or trimming done along the state highway, under authority of this or of any other chapter, to be disposed of in such manner that it will not constitute a fire menace to adjoining property.
MA Gen L ch 81 § 15 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XIV - Public Ways and Works|Chapter 81 - State Highways|Section 15 - Contracts for Maintenance and Repair

Section 15. The department may contract with the town in which a state highway lies or with a private person or may make other provision for the maintenance and repair thereof in accordance with the regulations of the department and subject to its supervision and approval. Such contracts may be made without previous advertisement.