Maine Revised Statutes Title 23. Transportation § 2060. Discontinuance where new state highway

1. General procedures. When the Department of Transportation has constructed a highway over substantially the same route as that of a county or town way and has recorded the plans of that highway in the registry of deeds, the county commissioners or municipal officers may, on their own motion, after notice and hearing, proceed to alter or discontinue the portion of that way not within the limits of the highway. The county commissioners or municipal officers shall give notice and proceed as provided in this chapter or chapter 304,  1 as applicable, including serving any public utility having facilities located in that portion to be discontinued. Notice to abutters must include notice that all or a portion of the discontinued roadway may pass to the abutters unless an exception in the plans and order of discontinuance is requested. Any aggrieved person may appeal as provided in the applicable chapter. The plans prepared by the department and recorded in the registry of deeds must be referred to in describing those portions of the county or town way to be discontinued. The department shall prepare the description of the discontinuance order upon the request of the county commissioners or municipal officers.

2. Effect and exceptions. Upon discontinuance, all interests of the county or municipality pass to the abutting property owners to the center of the way, including any public easement, in accordance with section 3026-A. When the Department of Transportation is an abutting owner, then the interests in the way pass to the property owner opposite the department's ownership in accordance with a plan showing the right-of-way line established for the new highway location by the department. The plan must be referenced in the order of discontinuance.