The County Commissioners of Caroline County are authorized and empowered by §§ 10-317 and 10-319, and Title 12, Subtitle 5, of the Local Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland to control and regulate the public roads, bridges, and rights-of-way in Caroline County, subject to the provisions of this chapter and of the Public General Laws of the state. The Caroline County Director of Public Works shall have the general supervision of the County roads, bridges, and rights-of-way in Caroline County, and the work done thereon.
Unless clearly indicated otherwise by the context, in this chapter the following terms have the meanings indicated:
ACCESS
A location along a County roadway planned, designed, or used to enter or exit a County roadway from a highway, street, road, roadway, alley, lane, thoroughfare, right-of-way, easement, driveway, or field. "Access" includes the right to use such a location.
ACCESS PERMIT
A written license issued by the County Director of Public Works pursuant to procedures and criteria established by this chapter.
ADJACENT LANDS
Any lands directly abutting or adjoining one or more County roads or rights-of-way.
AGRICULTURAL ACCESS
Ingress or egress of farm equipment to or from a County roadway for agricultural land management activities.
BRIDGE
A traffic-bearing structure within a roadway, spanning a waterway, drainageway, depression, or obstruction, that requires periodic documented and certified inspection and condition survey under provisions of the Maryland State Highway Administration and the Federal Highway Administration.
COUNTY
Caroline County, Maryland.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
The County Commissioners of Caroline County, Maryland.
DEPARTMENT
The Caroline County Department of Public Works.
DESIGN MANUAL
The Caroline County Manual of Specifications and Design Standards for County Roads, containing construction, maintenance and repair standards and specifications for County roads and rights-of-way, as developed, adopted, revised and amended from time to time by the Caroline County Department of Public Works.
DIRECTOR
The Director of the Caroline County Department of Public Works or a duly authorized agent of the Director.
EASEMENT
The right to use the land of another for one or more designated purposes by prescription, deed, plat or other lawful means without having title to the land.
PERSON
Includes an individual or individuals, partnership, limited partnership, trust, estate, association, corporation, public utility or any other entity.
PUBLIC UTILITY
Any business or service which is engaged in regularly supplying a commodity or service of public need or desire, including but not limited to electricity, gas, water, sewer, telephone and cable television.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
Any land area which has been dedicated to the public use by a plat of subdivision or other instrument recorded in the land records of the County; and any land area deeded to or acquired by the County for road or transportation purposes; and any land area which has been conveyed to a public agency by easement for public use for road or transportation purposes; and any land area which has been declared by competent authority to be a public right-of-way through use or through prescriptive usage in accordance with Maryland law; and any land area along a County-maintained road which falls within the traveled way or the shoulders and side ditches of the County-maintained road.
ROAD
Any travel way or right-of-way, whether open or not, and any land area dedicated to public use in a recorded deed or recorded plat of subdivision for the purpose of, or used for, passage of vehicular or pedestrian traffic, together with adjacent appurtenant drainage ditches, channels, support slopes, bridges, structures, walks and traffic control devices. This term shall embrace all ways designated as "roads," "streets," "alleys," "lanes," "paths," "highways," "avenues" or terms of similar meaning.
A. 
PRIVATE ROADAny road which is not a public road and which the title to or the easement for the use of is not vested with the County Commissioners, the County Roads Board, an incorporated town within Caroline County or the State Highway Administration, and for which neither the County Commissioners, the County Roads Board, an incorporated town within Caroline County nor the State Highway Administration have accepted responsibility for maintenance and improvement.
B. 
PUBLIC ROADAny road which has been accepted for maintenance by a public agency, political subdivision or incorporated municipality; and any road which lies within a right-of-way owned by, or under the jurisdiction of, the County or dedicated to public use by a recorded deed or recorded plat of subdivision or approved site plan; and any road which has become recognized as public under Maryland law through long use by the general public.
C. 
COUNTY ROADA public road or right-of-way the title to which, or the easement for the use of which, is vested with the County Commissioners or the Roads Board of Caroline County and which has been accepted for maintenance by the County; and the land area which falls within the traveled way or the shoulders and side ditches of a road, which shall be a minimum of 30 feet in width, extending 15 feet on each side of the center line. All County roads shall be listed on an inventory of County roads maintained by the County Department of Public Works.
D. 
STATE ROADPublic road which is under the jurisdiction of the State of Maryland, or any agency, department or division of the State of Maryland.
E. 
FEDERAL ROADA public road which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Government, or any agency, department or division of the United States Government.
F. 
MUNICIPAL ROADA public road, the title to which, or the easement for the use of which, is vested with an incorporated town, or a public road which is under the jurisdiction of an incorporated municipality or any agency, department or division of an incorporated municipality or a public road for which an incorporated town or any agency, department or division of an incorporated municipality has accepted responsibility for maintenance and improvement.
ROAD CONSTRUCTION
Any act of opening, cutting into, clearing, grading, cultivating, excavating, maintaining, repairing, building, constructing, improving or otherwise altering any road, right-of-way or any part thereof; also placing any structure, plant or other object in a road, right-of-way or any part thereof, whether authorized by permit or not; also any act of establishing or creating an entrance into any road or right-of-way.
This chapter shall apply to the design, construction, improvement, maintenance, repair, and use of all County roads; and to all roads which are required to be designed, constructed, improved, maintained or repaired by the subdivision regulations or the zoning laws of Caroline County; and to all roads for which approval is sought from the County to have the road accepted as a County road.
Whenever a doubt exists as to the proper location, width or ownership of a County road and/or right-of-way, the County may cause the road and/or right-of-way to be surveyed and a description and plat made of the road and right-of-way and recorded among the County's land records. The description and plat shall be considered official and prima facie correct by the County and courts of the state until the contrary is proven. The description shall be made by reference to the original description of the road and right-of-way when acquired by grant or condemnation. If the original description cannot be found, the description and plat shall be made of the road and right-of-way as existing and recognized through use by the general public.
All County roads and rights-of-way shall be a minimum of 30 feet in width, extending 15 feet on each side of the center line. The width of private roads and entrances onto County roads shall be determined by the Director pursuant to the access permit process.
A. 
General. County roadways and bridges shall be available for use by any person and for the operation of any legal class of vehicle, except as restricted under this chapter or otherwise by law.
B. 
Access, residential. Any County roadway shall be available for a single access for up to two residential lots from a driveway, provided that an access permit is issued approving the location, construction, and orientation of the requested access pursuant to the provisions of Article IV of this chapter.
C. 
Access, agricultural. Any County roadway shall be available for agricultural access.
D. 
Other access. All other access shall be regulated pursuant to the provisions of Article IV of this chapter.
E. 
Emergency closures or restrictions. The Director and/or his or her designee may close or restrict the use of any County roadway or bridge in an emergency to protect public safety or public or private property. The Roads Department shall clearly post emergency restrictions and closures by appropriate signs, and notification shall be given to the County Commissioners at the first scheduled Commissioners' meeting after such restrictions and/or closures are imposed.
F. 
Temporary closures or restrictions. The Director and/or his or her designee may temporarily close or restrict the use of any County roadway or bridge to conduct maintenance, make repairs, install signs, or engage in other activities related to roadway or right-of-way maintenance.
G. 
Permanent restrictions. The County Commissioners may permanently restrict or close a County roadway or bridge in accordance with the requirements of law to protect public safety or public or private property.
H. 
Prohibition on use. A person may not drive or move any vehicle or other equipment on or across any County roadway or bridge if the vehicle or equipment is likely to cause damage to the roadway or bridge.