Whenever the commission relinquishes any portion of any state highway superseded by relocation and the construction of a freeway and when the department has prior to relinquishment maintained snow removal operations on the portion of state highway relinquished and when property having access to the relinquished portion of state highway was developed for winter recreational purposes at the time of relinquishment, the department may with the consent of the county or counties to which the road is relinquished, maintain snow removal operations on all or a portion of the state highway which has been superseded by relocation.