2022 Colorado Code
Title 43 - Transportation
Article 2 - State, County, and Municipal Highways
Part 3 - Vacation Proceedings: Roads, Streets, and Highways
§ 43-2-302. Vesting of Title Upon Vacation

1. Subject to the requirements set forth in sections 43-1-210 (5) and 43-2-106 governing the disposition of certain property by the department of transportation, whenever any roadway has been designated on the plat of any tract of land or has been conveyed to or acquired by a county or incorporated town or city or by the state or by any of its political subdivisions for use as a roadway, and thereafter is vacated, title to the lands included within such roadway or so much thereof as may be vacated shall vest, subject to the same encumbrances, liens, limitations, restrictions, and estates as the land to which it accrues, as follows:
   1. In the event that a roadway which constitutes the exterior boundary of a subdivision or other tract of land is vacated, title to said roadway shall vest in the owners of the land abutting the vacated roadway to the same extent that the land included within the roadway, at the time the roadway was acquired for public use, was a part of the subdivided land or was a part of the adjacent land.
   2. In the event that less than the entire width of a roadway is vacated, title to the vacated portion shall vest in the owners of the land abutting such vacated portion.
   3. In the event that a roadway bounded by straight lines is vacated, title to the vacated roadway shall vest in the owners of the abutting land, each abutting owner taking to the center of the roadway, except as provided in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection (1). In the event that the boundary lines of abutting lands do not intersect said roadway at a right angle, the land included within such roadway shall vest as provided in paragraph (d) of this subsection (1).
   4. In all instances not specifically provided for, title to the vacated roadway shall vest in the owners of the abutting land, each abutting owner taking that portion of the vacated roadway to which his land, or any part thereof, is nearest in proximity.
   5. No portion of a roadway upon vacation shall accrue to an abutting roadway.
   6. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection (1), a board of county commissioners may provide that title to the vacated roadway shall vest, subject to a public-access easement or private-access easement to benefit designated properties, in the owner of the land abutting the vacated roadway, in other owners of land who use the vacated roadway as access to the owners' land, or in a legal entity that represents any owners of land who use the vacated roadway as access to the owners' land. Title shall vest to the owner of the land abutting the vacated roadway as otherwise required by paragraphs (a) to (d) of this subsection (1), unless the board expressly requires the title to vest pursuant to the authority set forth in this paragraph (f) in the resolution to vacate the roadway that is approved by the board.

Source: L. 49: p. 620, § 2. CSA: C. 143, § 69(2). CRS 53: § 120-1-12. C.R.S. 1963: § 120-14-2. L. 96: IP(1) amended, p. 1456, § 3, effective June 1. L. 2007: (1)(f) added, p. 591, § 1, effective September 1.