The Right of Way Division’s primary purpose is to acquire and clear the necessary properties to construct and maintain the State Highway System. This is accomplished with 129 employment positions organized into 10 sections. Each of these sections has a definite responsibility in the overall process of appraisal, acquisition and clearance of right of way.

The process begins with the development of maps and deeds within our Survey, Maps & Deeds Section.

The Appraisal and Appraisal/Review Sections appraises each parcel to be acquired and reviews the appraisals to assure that they comply with set rules and regulations.

Property Acquisition Section is responsible for contacting property owners to present a fair market value offer.

Relocation Section calculates the cost of relocating displacees and assistance is provided to families and businesses that are displaced.

Property Management Section is responsible for the identification, testing and, when necessary, remediation of contaminated sites. This section is also responsible for the removal of improvements from the right of way. Other functions of this section include establishment and maintenance of right of way field offices and the relocation of utilities from new rights of way.

The Legal Section prepares all necessary legal paperwork necessary to complete acquisition of the property. When a parcel is recommended for Eminent Domain action, the Legal Section handles the court filings.

The Title Section, through examination of the land records in each county, develops a comprehensive abstract of real property title for each parcel of property affected by projects. Title Section also reviews deeds, to insure that all interests in the property are acquired and that payment is made properly. They are also responsible for updating the title prior to the recording of the deed and prior to payment for the property, recording the deeds and mailing or hand delivery of payment for the acquired property to the payees.

The Right of Way District Coordinators serve as liaisons between their relative District, District Engineer, Right of Way Division Administration, the public, property owners and field agents. Other functions of the Right of Way District Coordinators include: representing the Right of Way Division in Preliminary Project Reviews, assisting in Project Oversight and Consultant Oversight, gathering and distributing information in their respective Districts, reporting on project status and responding to Right of Way related inquiries from property owners, the public, vendors, contracts, field agents, engineers, consultants and any other interested party.

The entire right of way process is sometimes achieved with the assistance of appraisal, acquisition and engineering consultants and fee attorneys.

The Accounting Section is responsible for providing support to the other sections in the Right of Way Division as well as Right of Way Division Administration. The mission of the Accounting Section is to relieve other Right of Way Division section personnel of burdensome accounting and budgetary functions such as budget preparation and reporting, analysis/reporting of project information, fixed asset accountability, technical assistance and training and other accounting functions as needed.

The Information Technology Section provides Right of Way Division employees with technical support in the installation, use and maintenance of computer systems within the Division.