(1) Any city of the metropolitan class, including one governed under a home rule charter, is authorized and empowered to:

(a) Acquire by purchase, condemnation, bargain and sale, lease, sublease, gift or otherwise, any bridge or viaduct, including approaches and avenues, rights-of-way, or easements of access to approaches, necessary real and personal property incident to such bridges or viaducts, and franchises, special privileges, leases, and contracts in connection with such bridges or viaducts;

(b) Construct and contract for the construction of bridges or viaducts, including all appurtenances to such bridges or viaducts, facilities, and property; and

(c) Repair, maintain, extend, renew, reconstruct, replace, enlarge, mortgage or lease, and to use and operate any such bridges or viaducts as toll or free bridges, either or both from time to time for public use and travel of all kinds by railroads, street railways, bus lines, vehicles, and pedestrians, and other uses, any or all as may be determined by the city council.

(2) The city may use such bridges or viaducts for public utility purposes, and fix the rates of toll or the charges for the use of such bridges or viaducts, and grant nonexclusive franchises for use of such bridges or viaducts for public utility purposes upon such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by ordinance.

(3) The city may exercise all such powers within the city limits and five miles outside the city limits within the State of Nebraska, and any adjoining state, and across any navigable or nonnavigable stream forming the boundary between such states after having obtained authority, if any be necessary, from such states and from the United States.

(4) The city may exercise such powers directly through the city council or any committee of the city council or through a bridge commission created as provided in sections 14-1227 and 14-1244 to 14-1246, or part any one and part any other.