732
Secretary of Transportation, approval.
Tolls, collection methods.
Records.
Audit.
To l l s, exception. 72 Stat. 902.
Ownership, transfer.
PUBLIC LAW 92.434-SEPT. 26, 1972
[86
STAT.
Commission, United States and Mexico, in the case of a bridge connecting the United States and Mexico, and (2) the heads of snch departments and agencies of the Federal Government as he deems appropriate to determine the necessity for such bridge. SEC. 5. The approval of the Secretary of Transportation, as required by the first section of the Act of March 23, 1906 (83 U.S.C. 491), shall be given only subsequent to the President's approval, as provided for in section 4 of this Act, and shall be null and void unless the construction of the bridge is commenced within two years and completed within five years from the date of the Secretary's approval: Provided, hcnrnvefs That the Secretary, for good cause shown, may extend for a reasonable time either or both of the time limits herein provided. SEC. 6. If tolls are charged for the use of an international bridge constructed under this Act, the following provisions shall apply, so far as the United States has jurisdiction, in the case of a bridge constructed or acquired by a private individual, company, or other private entity: (1) Tolls may be collected from the date of completion of the bridge for a period determined by the Secretary of Transportation to be a reasonable period for amortization of the cost of construction or acquisition of the bridge, including interest and financing costs, and a reasonable return on iiivested oapital. (2) At the end of such period, the United States portion of the bridge and its approaches, if not previously transferred to a public agency pursuant to section 8, shall become the property of the State having jurisdiction over the United States portion of the bridge, and no further compensation shall be deemed to be due such private individual, company, or other private entity. (3) A n accurate record of the amount paid for acquiring or constructing the bridge and its approaches, the actual expenditures for maintaining, repairing, and operating the same, and of the daily tolls collected, shall be kept and shall be reported annually to the Secretary of Transportation. Whenever he may deem advisable, the Secretary of Transportation shall audit, review, and inspect such records, books, accounts, and operations. SEC. 7. Paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of section 129 of title 23, United States G)de, is amended to read as follows: " (3) after the date of final repayment, the bridge or tunnel shall be maintained or operated as a free bridge or free tunnel; except in the case of a bridge which connects the United States with any foreign country: Provided, That such tolls or charges do not exceed the amount necessary for the proper maintenance, repair, and operation of the bridge and its approaches under economical management: And further provided, That the entity or governmental instrumentality responsible for the operation of the portion of the bridge within the jurisdiction of the foreign country is charging tolls for the use of the bridge.". SEC. 8. (a) Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to prevent the individual, corporation, or other entity to which, pursuant to this Act, authorization has been given to construct, operate, and main-
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