Section 8. The commissioners, in their return, shall determine and specify the manner in which a new highway shall be laid out or an existing one altered, relocated or specifically repaired, and may specify in sufficient detail the work required so that the same may be completed in accordance with the commissioners' directions, and the time within which it shall be completed, and each town shall perform the work so required within its limits unless other provision is made. They may apportion the expense thereof upon the county and towns, respectively, or they may agree with the towns in which the highway is located or with the department of highways, or both, as to the apportionment of such expense to be paid by the towns, county or state, respectively. The selectmen or mayor shall give notice to said commissioners of the time when the work ordered is begun if so required in the return, and the commissioners or their agents may examine the work as often as may be necessary during its progress to ascertain that it is well done according to the direction of the commissioners, and, in case the town does not perform the work to the acceptance of said commissioners, the provisions of sections fourteen and fifteen shall apply. The commissioners shall transmit to the clerk of each town in which the highway lies a description and plan of the location and bounds thereof within the limits of such towns respectively, which description shall be recorded within ten days by the clerk in a book kept for that purpose.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part I - Administration of the Government
Title XIV - Public Ways and Works
Section 1 - Jurisdiction; Notice; Hearings
Section 2 - Petition; Recognizance
Section 3 - Notice of Proposed Taking and View or Hearing; Publication
Section 4 - View of Premises; Adjudication
Section 5 - Procedure on Objections to Proposal
Section 6 - Changes Between Termini; Establishment of Building Lines
Section 7 - Taking Land or Easement by Eminent Domain; Damages
Section 8 - Construction Requirements; Payment of Expenses
Section 9 - Culverts and Cattle Passes
Section 10 - Specific Repair of Ways
Section 12 - Payment of Damages and Costs of Construction
Section 13 - Payment of Expenses of Rejected Petitions
Section 14 - Failure by Municipalities to Construct Highways Laid Out by Commissioners
Section 15 - Remedy Against Delinquent Municipalities
Section 16 - Payment of County's Share of Expense
Section 18 - Notice to County Commissioners of Final Action on Petitions
Section 19 - Appeal to County Commissioners
Section 20 - Applicability to Railroad Crossings
Section 21 - Authority to Lay Out Ways
Section 22 - Notice of Intention
Section 23 - Filing and Acceptance of Plan
Section 24 - Taking by Eminent Domain; Damages
Section 28 - Completion of Way by County Commissioners
Section 29 - Private Ways; Laying Out, Relocation or Alteration by Commissioners
Section 30 - Discontinuance by Commissioners
Section 31 - Costs for Hearing Petitions; Recognizance
Section 32 - Report of Laid Out, Relocated or Altered Roads; Recordation
Section 32a - Abandonment of Municipal Ways
Section 32b - Taking Slope Easement to Protect Ways
Section 32c - Easements for Erection of Snow Fences
Section 34 - Reserved Spaces Along Ways; Rights of Pedestrians Injured by Streetcars
Section 35a - Laws Relative to Public Ways; Definition
Section 36 - Penalty for Misuse of Bicycle Paths
Section 38 - Acquisition of Land for Road Materials
Section 39 - Commencement of Proceedings
Section 40 - Definitions Applicable to Secs. 40a to 40e
Section 40a - Excavations; Notice
Section 40b - Designation of Location of Underground Facilities
Section 40d - Local Laws Requiring Excavation Permits; Public Ways