ORS 366.320 Acquisition of rights of way and right of access

The Department of Transportation may acquire rights of way deemed necessary for all primary and secondary state highways, both within and without the corporate limits of cities and towns, except that such rights of way within the corporate limits of cities and towns may be acquired at the sole expense of the state, at the expense of the city or town or at the expense of the city or town and the state, as may be mutually agreed upon.

The department may acquire by purchase, agreement, donation or by the exercise of the power of eminent domain, real property or any right or interest therein deemed necessary for rights of way, either for original location or for widening, straightening or otherwise changing any highway, road or street. The department may, when acquiring real property for right of way, acquire all right of access from abutting property to the highway to be constructed, relocated or widened.

All rights of way owned or held by the several counties over and along any roads adopted as state highways are vested in the state, by and through the department. This subsection does not apply to any rights of way owned by any city for city streets.