Section 23-2-144

Powers generally.

The authority shall have the following powers:

(1) To adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business;

(2) To adopt an official seal and alter the same at pleasure;

(3) To maintain a principal office and branch offices at such place or places within the state as it may designate;

(4) To sue and be sued in its own name, including suits in tort;

(5) To acquire and construct toll road, bridge or tunnel projects at such locations as the authority may determine to be desirable, practicable and economically feasible and to maintain, repair and operate such projects;

(6) To issue toll road, bridge or tunnel revenue bonds of the authority for any of its corporate purposes, payable solely from its tolls, other revenues and proceeds of such bonds, and to refund its bonds, all as provided in this article. No bonds issued under the provisions of this article shall constitute a debt or liability of the state or of any political subdivision thereof or a pledge of the faith and credit of the state or of any such political subdivision, and neither the state nor any political subdivision thereof shall ever pay or agree to pay any portion of the same, but such bonds shall be payable solely from the funds pledged or available for their payment as authorized in this article. All such toll road, bridge or tunnel revenue bonds shall contain on the face thereof a statement to the effect that the authority is obligated to pay the same or the interest thereon only from its tolls or other revenues and that neither the state nor any political subdivision thereof is obligated to pay the same or the interest thereon and that neither the faith and credit nor the taxing power of the state or of any political subdivision thereof is pledged to the payment of the principal thereof or the interest thereon;

(7) To fix and revise from time to time, charge and collect tolls for transit over or through toll road, bridge and tunnel projects constructed by it;

(8) To establish rules and regulations for the use of any project;

(9) To acquire, hold and dispose of real and personal property;

(10) To acquire in the name of the authority, by purchase or otherwise, on such terms and conditions and in such manner as it may deem proper, or by condemnation in accordance with the provisions of Title 18, and other provisions of law, insofar as the same may be applicable, any land and other property or any easement or interest therein, which it may determine is reasonably necessary for any toll road, bridge or tunnel project or for its protection and preservation, or for the construction, relocation or reconstruction of any access highway, street or road; and to acquire by purchase or by condemnation, land necessary for drainage ditches, clay, sand and gravel pits, and lime and stone quarries, together with any other material of every character that may be necessary in the construction and maintenance of toll road, bridge or tunnel projects and access highways and roads;

(11) To designate points of ingress to and egress from each toll road, bridge or tunnel project and to prohibit entrance to and exit from such project at any point or points not so designated;

(12) To make and enter into contracts and agreements necessary for, or incidental to, the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers under this article, including contracts and agreements for professional services deemed necessary for such purposes by the authority;

(13) To appoint managers, superintendents, tolltakers and such other employees and agents as may be necessary, in its judgment, to the efficient accomplishment of the purposes of this article;

(14) To receive and accept from any federal agency, subject to the approval of the Governor, grants for, or in aid of, the construction of any project and to receive and accept aid or contributions from any source of either money, property, labor or other things of value, to be held, used and applied only for the purposes for which such grants and contributions may be made;

(15) To provide coverage for its employees under the provisions of Chapter 5 of Title 25, and the federal Social Security Act; and

(16) To do all acts and things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers granted in this article.

(Acts 1980, No. 80-691, p. 1377, §4.)