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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>360440</law_id><section_number>33.2-717</section_number><catch_line>Who shall pay costs, compensation, and damages</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><referred_to_by><reference>33.2-722</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="77" identifier="33.2">Highways and Other Surface Transportation Systems</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="2" identifier="II">Modes of Transportation: Highways, Bridges, Ferries, Rail, and Public Transportation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="5" identifier="7">Local Authority Over Highways</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="2" identifier="2">Establishment, Alteration, and Discontinuance of Highways</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>When the <span class="dictionary">highway</span> or bridge is established or altered, the county shall be chargeable with the compensation and <span class="dictionary">damages</span> to the proprietor or tenant and all costs incurred in the proceedings, provided that when the record shows that the sum allowed by the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> on <span class="dictionary">appeal</span>, as compensation and <span class="dictionary">damages</span> to any proprietor or tenant is not more than the amount allowed by the local governing body from whose decision the <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> was taken, such proprietor or tenant shall be adjudged to pay the costs occasioned by such <span class="dictionary">appeal</span>. When the local governing body decides against the application to establish or alter a <span class="dictionary">highway</span> or bridge, the applicant shall pay the costs incurred in the case, except the compensation of the viewers.</p><p>But when it shall appear to the local governing body that the opening and establishing or altering of such <span class="dictionary">highway</span> will be for mere private convenience, then the local governing body may <span class="dictionary">order</span> the same upon condition that such applicant pay, in whole or in part, the compensation and <span class="dictionary">damages</span> to the proprietor or tenant and the costs of the proceedings and keep the <span class="dictionary">highway</span> in <span class="dictionary">order</span>. In any such case the <span class="dictionary">highway</span> shall not be opened and established or altered until such compensation and <span class="dictionary">damages</span> and costs has been first paid or the written consent of the proprietor or tenant has been given.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 33-153; 1964, c. 565; 1970, c. 322, &#xA7; 33.1-240; 2014, c. 805.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
