CHAPTER 1. Construction and Maintenance [1800. - 1813.]

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC 1.
in effect

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 1800. Section 1800.

The legislative body of any city may do any and all things necessary to lay out, acquire, and construct any section or portion of any street or highway within its jurisdiction as a freeway, and to make any existing street or highway a freeway.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 1801. Section 1801.

The legislative body of any city may close any street or highway within its jurisdiction at or near the point of its intersection with any freeway, or may make provision for carrying such street or highway over, under, or to a connection with the freeway, and may do any and all necessary work on such street or highway. No public highway shall be converted into a freeway except with the consent of the owners of abutting lands or the purchase or condemnation of their right of access thereto.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 1803. Section 1803.

Whenever the legislative body of a city determines that it is necessary for the more efficient maintenance, construction, or repair of streets and roads within the city it may contract with the board of supervisors of any county for the rental, by the city, of such county’s equipment for the maintenance, construction, or repair of such streets and roads, or for the maintenance, construction, or repair of such streets and roads by the county.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 1804. Section 1804.

Every city in the state may construct, maintain, and operate tunnels for street and highway purposes within and without the territorial boundaries of the city. As to any such tunnels on state highways, the approval of the Department of Transportation shall first be obtained.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 1805. Section 1805.

The width of all city streets, except state highways, bridges, alleys, and trails, shall be at least 40 feet, except that the governing body of any city may, by a resolution passed by a four-fifths vote of its membership, determine that the public convenience and necessity demand the acquisition, construction and maintenance of a street of less than 40 feet and, after such determination, proceed with the acquisition, construction or maintenance of any such street. The width of all private highways and by-roads, except bridges, shall be at least 20 feet. This section does not require that the width of city streets established or used as such prior to September 15, 1935, be increased or diminished.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 1805.5. Section 1805.5.

On construction under a contract advertised for bids after July 1, 1973, the legislative body of a city shall install on the surfaces of city streets upon which the operation of bicycles is permitted only those types of grates which are not hazardous to bicycle riders.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 1806. Section 1806.

(a) No city shall be held liable for failure to maintain any road until it has been accepted into the city street system in accordance with subdivision (b) or (c). (b) Except as provided by Section 989, or by Section 57329 or 57385 of the Government Code, no public or private street or road shall become a city street or road until the governing body, by resolution, has caused the street or road to be accepted into the city street system. (c) In lieu of the procedure set forth in subdivision (b), the governing body of a city may, by ordinance, designate a city officer to accept, on behalf of the governing body, streets and roads or portions thereof, into the city street system and to record conveyances to the city of real property interests for street and road uses and purposes. The designee shall, prior to recording any conveyance under this section, affix a certificate to the instrument stating the acceptance into the city street system and designating the name or number, or both, of the city street or road.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 1807. Section 1807.

Where the boundary line between two adjacent cities is a street, and the boundary line itself is in the middle of such street, or the side of such street, the two adjacent cities, if authorized by their governing bodies, may enter into a mutual agreement for the improvement and maintenance of the street which constitutes the boundary line, and each city may, pursuant to such agreement, expend funds available to it for the improvement and maintenance of its city streets.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 1808. Section 1808.

Where practical or desirable, the legislative body of any city shall, along any street or highway under its jurisdiction, possession, or control, replace trees that have been destroyed or removed because of projects undertaken to widen the street or highway. Money received by a city from the Highway Users Tax Fund available for the widening of streets or highways is also available for the planting of trees pursuant to this section.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 1809. Section 1809.

Before any bridge on a city street is constructed over any navigable river, the legislative body of the city, after a study and public hearing on the question, shall determine and shall prepare a report on the feasibility of providing public access to the river for recreational purposes and a determination as to whether such public access shall be provided.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 1810. Section 1810.

A city may acquire, by purchase or eminent domain, property outside its boundaries in the unincorporated area of the county in which the city is located, if it is necessary to connect or widen the existing streets of the acquiring city and if the county consents to the acquisition. The portion of the acquired property used to connect or widen a city street shall be deemed a city street for all purposes.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 1812. Section 1812.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the City of South Lake Tahoe may complete construction of the loop road from city funds, including preparation of any necessary environmental impact reports and securing any necessary approval of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 1813. Section 1813.

(a) The provisions of Article 3 (commencing with Section 1160) of Chapter 4 of Division 2 for the construction or maintenance of county roads may be utilized within any city for the construction and maintenance of city streets. For the purpose of construction or maintenance of city streets under this section, all references in that Article 3 to counties and their officers and to county funds, taxes, and service charges shall be deemed to be references to cities, city officers, and city funds, taxes, and service charges. (b) The legislative body of any city may consent to the inclusion within a permanent road division formed by a county of streets within the corporate limits of the city, and the board of supervisors of the county in which the city is located shall then have jurisdiction over all proceedings taken or to be taken under that Article 3 in the same manner and to the same extent as if the city streets were county roads. (c) This section is an alternative to any other provision of law that provides for the construction or maintenance of city streets.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

Starting a business in California? California LLC guide: costs and requirements