Regulation of public service facility installations along state highway rights-of-way for aesthetic purposes

Notwithstanding the provisions of any other statute, the Commissioner of Transportation may, for the purpose of protecting the functional or aesthetic characteristics of any state highway or state highway appurtenance, promulgate regulations for the location and installation of any public service facility within, on, along, over or under the right-of-way of any state highway or state highway appurtenance and, when necessary to insure the protection of the aesthetic characteristics of any state highway, within, on, along, over or under the right-of-way of any other public highway; provided no such regulation shall limit, restrict or derogate from any power, right or authority of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority as provided by statute in respect to the location and installation of such public service facilities. The state shall pay the additional cost of any location, relocation, installation, adjustment or readjustment of any public service facility made necessary by such regulations.