How can I tell if a road is public access?

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  • ChalupaCabras

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Jan 30, 2009
    1,374
    48
    LaPorte / Kingsbury
    Is there a tool that will show me if a road is a public road or not?

    There are several roads in my area that are poorly kept, and the placement of surrounding structures makes it ambiguous whether or not they allow public traffic.

    Also, there is even a road that is listed on google maps as being a numbered county road, following the common generic county road numbering system, that has a gate across the road which says "no trespassing"... I thought it was illegal to block a road, even if you did own all of the land on either side of it?

    Where can I read up on Indiana laws regarding public access and the rules regarding easements and the like?
     

    Hawkeye

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 25, 2010
    5,409
    113
    Warsaw
    Cant really help you too much on a source, but I'll give yo a thought.

    I guess my approach would be that unless the road has a sign on it such as "Private Road" or "No Public Access" or "no Trespassing" or "County Maintenance Ends here", i'd be inclined to view it as a public road.
     

    HoughMade

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 24, 2012
    35,615
    149
    Valparaiso
    Is there a tool that will show me if a road is a public road or not?

    There are several roads in my area that are poorly kept, and the placement of surrounding structures makes it ambiguous whether or not they allow public traffic.

    Also, there is even a road that is listed on google maps as being a numbered county road, following the common generic county road numbering system, that has a gate across the road which says "no trespassing"... I thought it was illegal to block a road, even if you did own all of the land on either side of it?

    Where can I read up on Indiana laws regarding public access and the rules regarding easements and the like?

    No easy way that I know of. The private road I live on is named according to the county road numbering system, but is wholly private, owned in common with my neighbors.
     

    HoughMade

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 24, 2012
    35,615
    149
    Valparaiso
    Out of curiosity, does the county/city plow it?

    No. Myself and 2 of my neighbors with the equipment to plow take care of it. To be clear, we named it, not the county. For simplicty sake, we used the numbering system. For instance, and this is not the actual name, if the road is .57 miles west from the center point of the county, it would be called 57 West, but not County Road 57 West.
     

    eldirector

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Apr 29, 2009
    14,677
    113
    Brownsburg, IN
    All roads in Indiana, by class:
    https://indot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=df731deeaa704512923b7732ed3ddad2

    Search or scroll/zoom to where you want. Legend and layers on the right side of the screen. These are all roads as reported by local municipalities to INDOT.

    More maps and info:
    https://www.in.gov/indot/2350.htm

    Even this isn't exactly 100% accurate, as some government maintained roads are still not public access, even though they show in this inventory (the gated road into Redbird SRA, for instance). BUT, if it is private, it will NOT be in the INDOT inventory.
     

    Leadeye

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jan 19, 2009
    36,696
    113
    .
    Google maps aren't much good, they show old log roads through private property in this area the same as county roads. I don't know if they have some sort of feedback for the maps from local people to correct those mistakes but it sure would save unfamiliar deer hunters a trip.
     

    ChalupaCabras

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Jan 30, 2009
    1,374
    48
    LaPorte / Kingsbury
    All roads in Indiana, by class:
    https://indot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=df731deeaa704512923b7732ed3ddad2

    Search or scroll/zoom to where you want. Legend and layers on the right side of the screen. These are all roads as reported by local municipalities to INDOT.

    More maps and info:
    https://www.in.gov/indot/2350.htm

    Even this isn't exactly 100% accurate, as some government maintained roads are still not public access, even though they show in this inventory (the gated road into Redbird SRA, for instance). BUT, if it is private, it will NOT be in the INDOT inventory.


    EXCELLENT tool. Thank you Sir!
     

    GodFearinGunTotin

    Super Moderator
    Staff member
    Moderator
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Mar 22, 2011
    50,582
    113
    Mitchell
    All roads in Indiana, by class:
    https://indot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=df731deeaa704512923b7732ed3ddad2

    Search or scroll/zoom to where you want. Legend and layers on the right side of the screen. These are all roads as reported by local municipalities to INDOT.

    More maps and info:
    https://www.in.gov/indot/2350.htm

    Even this isn't exactly 100% accurate, as some government maintained roads are still not public access, even though they show in this inventory (the gated road into Redbird SRA, for instance). BUT, if it is private, it will NOT be in the INDOT inventory.

    That does have some cool tools on it.
     

    gunrunner0

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Dec 5, 2009
    478
    28
    Goshen
    I know that at least in Elkhart County, the county has abandoned a few roads. I believe they transfer ownership into private hands and put up a gate with some sort of signage. This might be the answer to the blocked road.
     

    melensdad

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 94.7%
    18   1   0
    Apr 2, 2008
    23,986
    77
    Far West Suburban Lowellabama
    All roads in Indiana, by class:
    https://indot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=df731deeaa704512923b7732ed3ddad2

    Search or scroll/zoom to where you want. Legend and layers on the right side of the screen. These are all roads as reported by local municipalities to INDOT.

    More maps and info:
    https://www.in.gov/indot/2350.htm

    Even this isn't exactly 100% accurate, as some government maintained roads are still not public access, even though they show in this inventory (the gated road into Redbird SRA, for instance). BUT, if it is private, it will NOT be in the INDOT inventory.

    This map clearly shows my neighborhood, which is private, has 3 short roadways, owned, maintained, plowed privately.
     

    eldirector

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Apr 29, 2009
    14,677
    113
    Brownsburg, IN
    Darn, not as useful as I thought, then. Still better than my GPS. Took a few back roads yesterday, and several roads appears on the GPS for which there was NO TRACE in real life. No road, no gate, no trail, no indication there was ever a road. Weird.
     
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