13-913. Defective bridge or highway; legislative intent.
In enacting section 13-912, it is the intent of the Legislature that the liability of all political subdivisions based on the alleged insufficiency or want of repair of any highway or bridge or other public thoroughfare shall be the same liability that previously has been imposed upon counties pursuant to section 13-912. The Legislature further declares that judicial interpretations of section 13-912 governing the liability of counties on January 1, 1970, also shall be controlling on the liability of all political subdivisions for the alleged insufficiency or want of repair of any highway or bridge or other public thoroughfare. Notwithstanding other provisions of the Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act and sections 16-727, 16-728, 23-175, 39-809, and 79-610, sections 13-912 to 13-914 shall be the only sections governing determination of liability of political subdivisions for the alleged insufficiency or want of repair of highways, or bridges or other public thoroughfares. As used in sections 13-912 and 13-913, public thoroughfares shall include all streets, alleys, and roads designed, intended, and primarily used for the movement of vehicular traffic and dedicated to public use.
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Annotations
County held liable for damages caused by insufficient bridge railing. Millman v. County of Butler, 244 Neb. 125, 504 N.W.2d 820 (1993).
Even assuming the city had a general duty to use ordinary care in treating its streets for icy conditions, dismissal of the plaintiff's petition was affirmed where the evidence of the city's negligence was insufficient. Hendrickson v. City of Kearney, 210 Neb. 8, 312 N.W.2d 677 (1981).
The duty to use reasonable and ordinary care in the construction, maintenance, and repair of highways and bridges so that they will be reasonably safe for the traveler using them while in the exercise of reasonable and ordinary prudence has now been imposed under both the State Tort Claims Act and the Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act. Hendrickson v. City of Kearney, 210 Neb. 8, 312 N.W.2d 677 (1981).
The liability of all political subdivisions based on the alleged insufficiency or want of repair of any public thoroughfare is to be determined by the provisions of sections 23-2410 and 23-2411, R.R.S.1943, and judicial interpretations governing the liability of counties under the statute in effect prior to the enactment of the Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act. Christensen v. City of Tekamah, 201 Neb. 344, 268 N.W.2d 93 (1978).