Right of Way Manual

The Right of Way Manual details the policies and procedures followed by the MassDOT Right of Way Bureau.

The purpose of the MassDOT Right of Way Manual is to lay out uniform procedures and guidance for carrying out the duties of the MassDOT Right of Way Bureau. The document is prepared by Right of Way Bureau staff for administrative use and does not establish a legal standard for these functions. 

Maintenance of the manual implements 23 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 710.201(c) which in part mandates each state department "which receives funding from the highway trust fund shall maintain a manual describing its right-of-way organization, policies, and procedures."

Topics Covered

The topics covered in the manual are as follows:

• Chapter 1 – Authority & Organization
• Chapter 2 – Definitions and Acronyms
• Chapter 3 – Projects Section
• Chapter 4 – Appraisals Section
• Chapter 5 – Legal Section
• Chapter 6 – Conveyance Section
• Chapter 7 – Layout Section
• Chapter 8 – Finance and Clerical Section
• Chapter 9 – Relocation
• Chapter 10 – Property Management
• Chapter 11 – Community Compliance (LPA) Section
• Chapter 12 – Outdoor Advertising Section
• Chapter 13 – Negotiations Section
• Chapter 14 – Right of way Engineering Section
• Chapter 15 – Federal Highway Administration