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Maine Alliance for Road Associations

Gating our Roads

  • 21 May 2010 7:37 AM
    Message # 347236
    Deleted user
    It is unfortunate, but theft and vandalism has increased at the homes and on our 22 miles of roads our association manages.  We have received the approval from LURC and BPL to install a gate to protect our interests.  In fact it seems as if they think it is a wise choice. 
    My question is:  Does anyone have suggestions on gate manufactures, types, and/or installers?  We are researching the options and I'll bet some of you have some previous experiences which would be helpful.  Thanks
  • 10 Jun 2010 5:09 AM
    Reply # 356776 on 347236
    THOMAS DECOSTE wrote:It is unfortunate, but theft and vandalism has increased at the homes and on our 22 miles of roads our association manages.  We have received the approval from LURC and BPL to install a gate to protect our interests.  In fact it seems as if they think it is a wise choice. 
    My question is:  Does anyone have suggestions on gate manufactures, types, and/or installers?  We are researching the options and I'll bet some of you have some previous experiences which would be helpful.  Thanks
    Looks like there isn't a lot of experience with gates! But if you do some research, and especially if you install one and can report on the experience, that would be very useful to the group, especially since installing them may indeed become more frequent if and when Maine does experience a further increase in theft and vandalism.
  • 11 Jun 2010 3:58 PM
    Reply # 357643 on 347236
    Deleted user

    I suspect that gating is not as much of an issue as control.

    I've had a little experience here at the University with a gate to protect our farm road from trespassers at night. We are using an electric rolling gate installed by Brewer Fence Company.

    Works ok but access and who gets keys is always an issue. Managing keys and or codes would seem to be the headache. Every time someone loans a key to a friend security is bypassed. Once a key or code gets passed around to a couple friends or relatives, you may as well leave it open. You could use a garage door type radio operator, but then when someone comes to visit, coming out to open the gate would be an issue.

    It seems like a gate that could be operated via cell phone would be a great tool.

    Just hang up one of those game cameras in the trees and monitor every vehicle that goes in and out. I think you can program those units so they re-write over the SD card when full, so if you have an issue, you can check the camera and see who is towing your snowmobile out the road.:)

    CJ

     

  • 27 Jul 2010 7:15 AM
    Reply # 390965 on 347236
    Deleted user
    I have found a couple of gate manufacturers.  If this is something you would like to pursue for yourself or your association, let me know here and I will check your profile for your email address and send you the contact information.
    There are 2 gate styles.  One is more expensive and better than the other.
    The first is about $2200 each not including delivery and installation.  It is guarenteed for 10 years against shifting.  - Very heavy duty and is a one-piece construction (connected 4' below ground between uprights) A link to a photo is here - Green gate

    The other gate is constructed with the uprights embedded individually in 4x2x2 concrete, is less beefy and the connection is more subject to shifting over time. These were quoted at $1450 each. Photos (3) - yellow gate 1 yellow gate 2 yellow gate 3


    ****Both gates are 20 feet wide which accommodates heavy trucking which my association needs since there is often logging operations going on.  Smaller widths are available and I assume at a lesser cost.

  • 15 Oct 2010 12:01 PM
    Reply # 444659 on 347236
    Deleted user
    Our association has chosen the green gate.  It will have a 20 foot opening and installed will be approx. $2500-2700 dollars.  The lock issue, we hope, will be mitigated by "double pinning" the gate.  This is where the lock mechanism has two locks and the gate can be opened by either of the two locks.  We will have one lock which is keyed and the keys cannot be duplicated because it will be a proprietary blank only able to be ordered through the association and its locksmith.  The other lock will be a combination lock which can be used for temporary access by loggers, real-estate agents, etc.  This combination lock can be changed out at will without issuing new keys to all the lot owners.  
  • 16 Oct 2010 4:59 PM
    Reply # 445153 on 444659
    THOMAS DECOSTE wrote:Our association has chosen the green gate.  It will have a 20 foot opening and installed will be approx. $2500-2700 dollars.  The lock issue, we hope, will be mitigated by "double pinning" the gate.  This is where the lock mechanism has two locks and the gate can be opened by either of the two locks.  We will have one lock which is keyed and the keys cannot be duplicated because it will be a proprietary blank only able to be ordered through the association and its locksmith.  The other lock will be a combination lock which can be used for temporary access by loggers, real-estate agents, etc.  This combination lock can be changed out at will without issuing new keys to all the lot owners.  
    Thank you very much for this information. It makes the site just that much more useful and I am sure other people will benefit. 
  • 19 Oct 2010 9:45 AM
    Reply # 446479 on 347236
    Deleted user
    Speak with a Forester if you know one.  They are usually knowledegable about gates
     and where to get them.  I know a welder in my area that makes them for several of the local foresters for a reasonable price.  Might be worth looking into.
  • 20 Nov 2010 5:06 AM
    Reply # 466613 on 347236
    Deleted user
    Thank you all for the advice and comments.  The gate has been installed.  It was a big project, not the installation itself- that was the icing on the cake.  The real work was choosing and coordinating distribution of keys to the 62 members of the association, the local fire department, the Bureau of Public Lands, and providing a system for service persons (propane deliveries, real estate agents) tempoary access without compromising the member's security.  How I did this was having the gate "double pinned" where either one or the other lock opens the gate.  The lot owners have keys to one lock and temporary access uses the other lock.  Why?  Quality locks and keys are expensive, so should some temporary keys not be returned, replacing that lock and key set is less expensive than issuing new keys to all the lot owners.  We used Medeco locks and keys.  These cannot be picked, drilled, are very difficult to cut, and the key can only be copied by one locksmith in the country.  FYI- 2 locks and 100 keys cost a bit over $1200.  Pricey, yes, but putting locks on the gate where keys can be copies anywhere wouldn't really provide much confidence in in security. 
    As this area is located in one of the small Plantations, there was some push back.  We hope since we constructed a bypass for atv, snowsled, foot, horse traffic, everyone will come to understand the purpose of the project is to prevent the theft and vandalism, not prevent the enjoyment of the wilderness.  (We maintain 22 miles of logging type roads and there is a State Lot abutting our area - (there is other access, but not as direct as over our private road).  Our Association seems to be a bit different from many since the privately held land is in excess of 3000 acres so every issue is magnified and sometimes in a different class altogether.  One example is when investigating insurance for the association, the cost was extreme since we, due to the miles of road and number of structures (including bridges) put us more in the category of a municipality.

    I put together a 4 minute video of the final installation of the gate.  You can find it on YouTube here > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBub2GLpayg
    If anyone finds themselves in a similar situation I would be glad to let you know more of the process and key record keeping system. 
    Last modified: 20 Nov 2010 5:06 AM | Deleted user
  • 21 Nov 2010 4:10 AM
    Reply # 467035 on 347236
    WOW! That gate sure isn't going anywhere soon. Congratulations. I hope a lot of people watch that video. I sure did. Great work. Takes you right there.
  • 13 Sep 2023 1:45 PM
    Reply # 13254007 on 347236

    Hi! I'm curious - how does this work with emergency vehicles? I saw a note about providing a key to the fire department, but what about ambulances? 

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