(a) Power over highways.--Powers, rights and duties given to a city over its streets shall extend to highways to the extent that the city is legally responsible for them, pursuant to agreement or otherwise.
(b) Damages.--A city shall not be responsible for damages to property owners abutting a highway under subsection (a) for acts of the Commonwealth unless the city shall assume them under this chapter or the act of June 1, 1945 (P.L.1242, No.428), known as the State Highway Law.