Ohio § 5501.77

§ 5501.77.

(A) For the purposes of carrying out sections 5501.70 to 5501.83 of the Revised Code , the department of transportation may do all of the following: (1) Accept, subject to applicable terms and conditions, available funds from the United

States or any of its agencies, whether the funds are made available by grant, loan,

or other financial assistance; (2) Enter into agreements or other arrangements with the United States or any of its

agencies as may be necessary; (3) For the purpose of completing a transportation facility under an agreement, accept

from any source any grant, donation, gift, or other form of conveyance of land, money,

other real or personal property, or other item of value made to the state or the department. (B) Any transportation facility may be financed in whole or in part by contribution of

any funds or property made by any private entity or affected jurisdiction that is

party to a public-private agreement under sections 5501.70 to 5501.83 of the Revised Code . (C) The department may use federal, state, local, and private funds to finance a transportation

facility under sections 5501.70 to 5501.83 of the Revised Code and shall comply with any requirements and restrictions governing the use of the

funds, including maintaining the funds separately when necessary. (D) The director of transportation, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code,

may adopt such rules as the director considers advisable for the control and regulation

of traffic on any transportation facility subject to a public-private agreement, for

the protection and preservation of the transportation facility, for the maintenance

and preservation of good order within the transportation facility, and for the purpose

of establishing vehicle owner or operator liability for avoidance of user fees.  The rules shall provide that public police officers shall be afforded ready access,

while in the performance of their official duties, to the transportation facility

without the payment of user fees. (1) No person shall violate any rules of the department of transportation adopted under

this division. (2)(a) All fines collected for the violation of applicable laws of the state and the rules

of the department of transportation or money arising from bonds forfeited for such

violation shall be disposed of in accordance with section 5503.04 of the Revised Code . (b) All fees or charges assessed by the department of transportation or a public-private

operator in accordance with this section against an owner or operator of a vehicle

as a civil violation for failure to comply with toll collection rules shall be revenues

of the department or public-private operator as set forth in the public-private agreement. (E)(1) Except as provided in division (E)(2) of this section, whoever violates division

(D)(1) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor on a first offense;  on each

subsequent offense such person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. (2) Whoever violates division (D)(1) of this section when the violation is a civil violation

for failure to comply with toll collection rules is subject to a fee or charge established

by the department by rule.