86.21 Interstate toll bridges.
(1) Any county or town, or any village or city however organized, bordering upon any navigable waters which form the boundary line between this and another state, may construct, maintain and operate a foot and vehicular toll bridge over and across such river or waters, commencing at a point within or near the limits of such county, town, village or city, and may acquire land in this and in such other state for approaches, abutments and piers, or may acquire, maintain and operate any such toll bridge which spans any such river or waters, whether such bridge is located wholly or partly only within the boundaries of this state and whether such bridge is located within or only partly within and partly without the limits of such county, town, village or city.
(2)
(a) Before any such toll bridge is constructed or acquired under this section, a resolution authorizing the construction or acquisition thereof, and specifying the method of payment therefor, shall be adopted by a majority of the members of the governing body of such county, town, village or city at a regular meeting, after publication of said resolution, as a class 2 notice, under ch. 985. The resolution shall include a general description of the property it is proposed to acquire or construct. Any county, town, village or city constructing or acquiring a toll bridge under this section may provide for the payment of the same or any part thereof from the general fund, from taxation, or from the proceeds of either municipal bonds, revenue bonds or as otherwise provided by law. Such resolution shall not be effective until 15 days after its passage and publication. If within said 15 days a petition conforming to the requirements of s. 8.40 is filed with the clerk of such municipality, and filed as provided in s. 8.37, signed by at least 20 percent of the electors thereof requesting that the question of acquiring such toll bridge be submitted to the said electors, such question shall be submitted at the next general or regular municipal election that is held not sooner than 70 days from the date of filing such petition. The question submitted to the electors shall specify the method of payment for such toll bridge as provided in the resolution for the acquisition thereof. If no such petition is filed, or if the majority of votes cast at such referendum election are in favor of the acquisition of such toll bridge, then the resolution of the governing body for the acquisition of such toll bridge shall be in effect.
(b) Where such payment is to be made in whole or in part through the issuance of revenue bonds, such bonds shall be issued as provided in s. 66.0621. The amount of all incidental expenses incurred in connection with the construction or acquisition of the bridge and in connection with the authorization and issuance of the bonds may be included in the amount for which bonds are issued. Such revenue bonds shall be payable solely from the revenues to be derived from the operation of the bridge or bridges as acquired or constructed, and shall not constitute an indebtedness of the county, town, village or city. Any toll bridge property owned or acquired pursuant to this section is declared to be a public utility. The provisions of s. 66.0805 shall be applicable to the management of such bridge and the provisions of ss. 66.0621 and 66.0805 shall govern insofar as they may be applicable. For purposes of management, operation and financing, 2 or more such bridges, whether acquired or constructed, may be combined into a single project or public utility, and such revenue bonds may be issued payable from the revenues of such combined project or utility.
History: 1983 a. 207; 1989 a. 192; 1999 a. 150 s. 672; 1999 a. 182; 2005 a. 146; 2011 a. 75.