Section 24-5-1 - Duty of town to maintain highways(a) All highways, causeways, and bridges, except as provided by this chapter, lying and being within the bounds of any town, shall be kept in repair and amended, from time to time, so that the highways, causeways, and bridges may be safe and convenient for travelers with their teams, carts, and carriages at all seasons of the year, at the proper charge and expense of the town, under the care and direction of the town council of the town, provided that the state shall be responsible for the annual cleaning of all sidewalks on all state highways, causeways, and bridges.(b) In addition, the surfaces of all highways and causeways shall be maintained in such a state of repair as to make them safe for bicycles.G.L. 1896, ch. 72, § 1; G.L. 1909, ch. 83, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 96, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 73, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 24-5-1; P.L. 1975, ch. 300, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 307, §1; P.L. 1997 , ch. 326, § 56.