Advice on how to get a road opened back up?

[bell]

Here is my problem. The way our property runs is behind our neighbors and we used to have a road that connected to a road behind this property (had been there for as long as I remmeber). I honestly just want to walk my dogs there. But noticed today that no trespassing signs have been put up. How can I go about being able to walk there? I contacted the deparment of highways. But who else should I contact? Any advice would be greatly appriciated.

 

[TillyChinchilla]

Is it public or private land? If it is private contact the landowner, if public call the town.

 

[Nancy]

Who owns the road? If it is on private property the owners may have chosen to close it and you'd have to talk with them. If it is a city or county road, you'd have to take the the roads department of the municipality.

 

[bell]

No the road I guess belongs to someone, but I thought you could not close a road that had been there for 10 years? It is on googles road map

 

[bell]

Here is the map on google

 

[bell]

I seems that putting it on here removed my text. The first line from right to left reads. Road closed here. Second line is where our road used to be from this road. Third line is where the road is closed on the other side

 

[InkedupTara]

I would think, that if someone own's a road and it wasnt majorly used, they can close it. Contact your township supervisors and ask them.

 

[bell]

I guess I would contact the county then? Where I live is outside city limits

 

[bell]

I just read according to state codes there has to be a hearing in order to close an unused road. I am going to call our court house tommrow to see if there has been a hearing to close this road.

 

[Tiatrack]

You seem to be missing the most important part. If it is a private road, he has every right to forbid you from walking on it.

 

[TillyChinchilla]

Roads are public property. This might be an exception due to it being an old back road, though. It is important you figure out what is owned privately and what is public. If the land surrounding it (on either side) has been purchased, the road can still be used if it has not been closed.

Is it still accessible or is it gated off?

 

[Lmbswimmer]

First step would be to contact the town office and find out what the designation of the road is. Is it a town road that happens to run through a parcel owned by a private citizen? Is the road private? Is it closed to maintenance? Is it a discountinued road? Has the town turned the road back over to the landowner? Does the town even care?

There are many different laws and different ways of dealing with roads and every state and town is different. Some states/towns do have a law that states if the road is used then it has to be maintained and kept open - however it is the towns responsibility to maintain that road then. Many roads, especially in Maine will be closed to maintenance in the winter - IE no through path. This saves on plowing.

The easiest option is to go to the town office and ask to look at the tax map. Find out who owns the property and call them. Ask them if you can have permission to walk your dogs along the road. That would save you a lot of time, and is the most curteous and respectful way to deal with it. Especially since it is private property.

 

[Lmbswimmer]

Too late to edit, but FYI, you might want to pull that map down that you have. I use google earth for work a LOT and I was able to locate your area of residence in under 3 minutes.

From looking at the satellite image of that area I would definitely contact your town office. In Maine I don't see many towns having a problem with the landowner shutting that road down, especially since there are major roads that get vehicles through that area.

 

[Melissa]

I would suggest looking up the property appraisal website for your county. Just google ""'your county' property appraisal."Some show a map of the house and surrounding property. All you have to do is put in an address. Mine show where the property line ends.

If the property line ends after where the road is closed off then you have to determine if the road was put there by the owner "making it private" or by the county and if it has been put by the county you are probably paying taxes on it so you have every right to walk your dogs there.

 

[mapache315]

Why don't you just ask your neighbors about it? If it connected your properties, I'm sure they would know.

 

[alli713]

I agree, just ask them. Even if they did close it, perhaps if you asked nicely they wouldn't care if you walked your dogs on it.