{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/56-547.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/56-547.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/56-547.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/56-547.html"}],"law_id":370574,"edition_id":2,"section_id":370574,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-547","catch_line":"Utility crossings","history":"1988, c. 649.","full_text":"The applicant shall include in the application a list of public utility facilities and rights-of-way to be crossed or otherwise affected in the construction of the roadway and a plan and schedule for such crossings. The operator and each public utility whose works are to be crossed or affected shall each have the duty to cooperate fully with the other in planning and arranging of the manner of the crossing or relocation of the facilities. Any public service corporation possessing the powers of eminent domain is hereby expressly granted such powers in connection with the moving or relocation of facilities to be crossed by the roadway or which must be relocated to the extent that such moving or relocation is made necessary by construction of the roadway, which shall be construed to include construction of temporary facilities for the purpose of providing service during the period of construction. Should the applicant or operator and the public utility whose facilities are to be crossed or relocated not be able to agree upon a plan for such crossing or any necessary relocation, either party may request the Commission to inquire into the need for the crossing or relocation and to decide whether such crossing or relocation should be compelled, and if so, the manner in which such crossing or relocation is to be accomplished and any damages due either party arising out of the crossing or relocation. The Commission may in its discretion employ expert engineers who shall examine the location and plans for such crossing or relocation, hear any objections and consider modifications, and make a recommendation to the Commission. In such a case, the cost of the experts is to be borne equally by the applicant and the public utility, unless the Commission determines that it would be unjust, in which case the cost shall be borne as the Commission decides. Railroads shall be included within the scope of the term “public utility” for purposes of this section.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1382107,"text":"The applicant shall include in the application a list of public utility facilities and rights-of-way to be crossed or otherwise affected in the construction of the roadway and a plan and schedule for such crossings. The operator and each public utility whose works are to be crossed or affected shall each have the duty to cooperate fully with the other in planning and arranging of the manner of the crossing or relocation of the facilities. Any public service corporation possessing the powers of eminent domain is hereby expressly granted such powers in connection with the moving or relocation of facilities to be crossed by the roadway or which must be relocated to the extent that such moving or relocation is made necessary by construction of the roadway, which shall be construed to include construction of temporary facilities for the purpose of providing service during the period of construction. Should the applicant or operator and the public utility whose facilities are to be crossed or relocated not be able to agree upon a plan for such crossing or any necessary relocation, either party may request the Commission to inquire into the need for the crossing or relocation and to decide whether such crossing or relocation should be compelled, and if so, the manner in which such crossing or relocation is to be accomplished and any damages due either party arising out of the crossing or relocation. The Commission may in its discretion employ expert engineers who shall examine the location and plans for such crossing or relocation, hear any objections and consider modifications, and make a recommendation to the Commission. In such a case, the cost of the experts is to be borne equally by the applicant and the public utility, unless the Commission determines that it would be unjust, in which case the cost shall be borne as the Commission decides. Railroads shall be included within the scope of the term “public utility” for purposes of this section.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":52778,"edition_id":2,"name":"Virginia Highway Corporation Act of 1988","identifier":"20","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":39,"parent_id":52702,"metadata":{"child_laws":18,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:04:30","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:45","permalink":{"id":1477409,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52778,"identifier":"20","token":"56\/20","url":"\/56\/20\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52702,"edition_id":2,"name":"Public Service Companies","identifier":"56","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":121,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":710,"child_structures":93},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:03:25","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:34","permalink":{"id":1475475,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52702,"identifier":"56","token":"56","url":"\/56\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":370556,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-535","catch_line":"Title","url":"\/56-535\/","token":"56\/20\/56-535","metadata":false},{"id":370557,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-536","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/56-536\/","token":"56\/20\/56-536","metadata":false},{"id":370558,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-537","catch_line":"Construction of highways and use of public funds in the public interest","url":"\/56-537\/","token":"56\/20\/56-537","metadata":false},{"id":370559,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-538","catch_line":"Prerequisite for construction and operation","url":"\/56-538\/","token":"56\/20\/56-538","metadata":false},{"id":370560,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-539","catch_line":"Certificate of authority","url":"\/56-539\/","token":"56\/20\/56-539","metadata":false},{"id":370567,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-540","catch_line":"Application","url":"\/56-540\/","token":"56\/20\/56-540","metadata":false},{"id":370568,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-541","catch_line":"Eminent domain","url":"\/56-541\/","token":"56\/20\/56-541","metadata":false},{"id":370569,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-542","catch_line":"Powers of the Commission","url":"\/56-542\/","token":"56\/20\/56-542","metadata":false},{"id":370570,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-543","catch_line":"Powers and duties of roadway operator","url":"\/56-543\/","token":"56\/20\/56-543","metadata":false},{"id":370571,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-544","catch_line":"Board approval; inspection agreement with Department","url":"\/56-544\/","token":"56\/20\/56-544","metadata":false},{"id":370572,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-545","catch_line":"Insurance; sovereign immunity","url":"\/56-545\/","token":"56\/20\/56-545","metadata":false},{"id":370573,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-546","catch_line":"Local approvals","url":"\/56-546\/","token":"56\/20\/56-546","metadata":false},{"id":370574,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-547","catch_line":"Utility crossings","url":"\/56-547\/","token":"56\/20\/56-547","metadata":false},{"id":370575,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-548","catch_line":"Highway and roadway crossings","url":"\/56-548\/","token":"56\/20\/56-548","metadata":false},{"id":370576,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-549","catch_line":"Default","url":"\/56-549\/","token":"56\/20\/56-549","metadata":false},{"id":370578,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-550","catch_line":"Police powers; violations of law","url":"\/56-550\/","token":"56\/20\/56-550","metadata":false},{"id":370579,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-551","catch_line":"Termination of certificate; dedication of assets","url":"\/56-551\/","token":"56\/20\/56-551","metadata":false},{"id":370580,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-552","catch_line":"Improvement Fund","url":"\/56-552\/","token":"56\/20\/56-552","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":370573,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-546","catch_line":"Local approvals","url":"\/56-546\/","token":"56\/20\/56-546","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":370575,"structure_id":52778,"section_number":"56-548","catch_line":"Highway and roadway crossings","url":"\/56-548\/","token":"56\/20\/56-548","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-547\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1988. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 649 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1988 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1477459,"object_type":"law","relational_id":370574,"identifier":"56-547","token":"56\/20\/56-547","url":"\/56-547\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-547\/","token":"56\/20\/56-547","dublin_core":{"Title":"Utility crossings","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-547","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The applicant shall include in the application a list of public utility facilities and rights-of-way to be crossed or otherwise affected in the construction of the roadway<\/span> and a plan and schedule for such crossings. The operator<\/span> and each public utility whose works are to be crossed or affected shall each have the duty to cooperate fully with the other in planning and arranging of the manner of the crossing or relocation of the facilities. Any public service corporation<\/span> possessing the powers of eminent domain is hereby expressly granted such powers in connection with the moving or relocation of facilities to be crossed by the roadway<\/span> or which must be relocated to the extent that such moving or relocation is made necessary by construction of the roadway<\/span>, which shall be construed to include construction of temporary facilities for the purpose of providing service during the period of construction. Should the applicant or operator<\/span> and the public utility whose facilities are to be crossed or relocated not be able to agree upon a plan for such crossing or any necessary relocation, either party<\/span> may request the Commission<\/span> to inquire into the need for the crossing or relocation and to decide whether such crossing or relocation should be compelled, and if so, the manner in which such crossing or relocation is to be accomplished and any damages<\/span> due either party<\/span> arising out of the crossing or relocation. The Commission<\/span> may in its discretion employ expert engineers who shall examine the location and plans for such crossing or relocation, hear any objections and consider modifications, and make a recommendation to the Commission<\/span>. In such a case, the cost of the experts is to be borne equally by the applicant and the public utility, unless the Commission<\/span> determines that it would be unjust, in which case the cost shall be borne as the Commission<\/span> decides. Railroads<\/span> shall be included within the scope of the term “public utility” for purposes of this section.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nUTILITY CROSSINGS (\u00a7 56-547)\n\nThe applicant shall include in the application a list of public utility\nfacilities and rights-of-way to be crossed or otherwise affected in the\nconstruction of the roadway and a plan and schedule for such crossings. The\noperator and each public utility whose works are to be crossed or affected shall\neach have the duty to cooperate fully with the other in planning and arranging\nof the manner of the crossing or relocation of the facilities. Any public\nservice corporation possessing the powers of eminent domain is hereby expressly\ngranted such powers in connection with the moving or relocation of facilities to\nbe crossed by the roadway or which must be relocated to the extent that such\nmoving or relocation is made necessary by construction of the roadway, which\nshall be construed to include construction of temporary facilities for the\npurpose of providing service during the period of construction. Should the\napplicant or operator and the public utility whose facilities are to be crossed\nor relocated not be able to agree upon a plan for such crossing or any necessary\nrelocation, either party may request the Commission to inquire into the need for\nthe crossing or relocation and to decide whether such crossing or relocation\nshould be compelled, and if so, the manner in which such crossing or relocation\nis to be accomplished and any damages due either party arising out of the\ncrossing or relocation. The Commission may in its discretion employ expert\nengineers who shall examine the location and plans for such crossing or\nrelocation, hear any objections and consider modifications, and make a\nrecommendation to the Commission. In such a case, the cost of the experts is to\nbe borne equally by the applicant and the public utility, unless the Commission\ndetermines that it would be unjust, in which case the cost shall be borne as the\nCommission decides. Railroads shall be included within the scope of the term\n“public utility” for purposes of this section.\n\nHISTORY: 1988, c. 649.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}