In addition to the other powers relating to state highways granted to it by law, the department may do all of the following:
(a) Make investigations to place, at the service of the state, the most approved methods of highway construction, improvement, and maintenance.
(b) Compile statistics relative to the highways of the various counties and cities and of the districts formed to construct, improve, or maintain the highways.
(c) Determine the methods of highway construction, improvement, and maintenance best adapted to the various sections of the state, and the best methods of construction, improvement, and maintenance of highways, making experiments with respect thereto from time to time.
(d) Call upon any state, county, city, or district official to furnish any information the official has relating to, or is in any way necessary to the proper performance of, the highway work of the department. The official shall furnish the information without charge.
(e) Join associations of highway and transportation officials of other states and others which have been established for not less than 10 years, having as their purpose the interchange of information relating to highway construction, improvement, maintenance, and administration and other transportation matters.
(f) Direct any of its officers or employees to travel to places outside this state at state expense for the purposes, when approved, as provided in Section 11032 of the Government Code.
(Amended by Stats. 1984, Ch. 193, Sec. 137.)