Shared Road Issues

[HomeBrew2]

Here's what we did. It may be an option for you.
We formed a County Improvement/Accessment District. The districts can be of any size. Our's is only for 2 streets inside a large subdivision (5+ ac lots). The property owners voted to create the district.
An advisory board was installed by election.
The county did an intital analysis of the old road; suggested a plan of action; calculated the pro rata shares of cost.
For small jobs, the county road crew does the work. For large jobs, it's put to bid.
The county collects the money as an added item on the property tax assessment.
The county does NOT "take the road over" and they don't have any requirements as to what standards the road is/was built to. Though, safety items WILL be done before anything else.
Big "up side": The roads are under the county's liability umbrella in this arrangement.

 

[randydupree]

its past my bedtime so this will be short for tonite!
I have lived on a shared road for 33 years,we have 55 homes on it,we have an organization thats non -profit,we ask for 100 bucks per year donations from all the homeowners. we get maybe $1200 per year.most people won't pay.no matter how bad the road gets,because they know i will fix it.
i have a motorgrader and i grade the road and i trim the trees etc.
the club gives me all the money that comes in. we have a pres,vice-pres,treasurer etc.they do nothing.
i grade when i have time,when the road is wet etc.
i have a home business so i feel like i should do more than most familys (i'm a sucker)
during the hurricanes last year i pulled people in and out all day one day with my tractor,all i got was people bitching about the road,how somebody needed to do something.i also removed all the trees that blew down etc.
most of our familys are yuppies that have moved in from south fl.
they know nothing about dirt roads or country road etiquit.
whenever I bring up giving the road to the county they all say "no way"!that would turn our road into a drag strip,they will take down all the trees,etc,etc.
bunch of greenies..
so heres what i'm doing,i'm moving to Ga. to get away from this dirt road and all the traffic thats come to my small town. I have never lived on a paved street in my 51 years,but i bought a place on a street,no more dirt roads for me. these greenie yuppies can buy a motorgrader because i'm taking mine to Ga.!
Randy

 

[Dallas_Lilly]

I know another issue here in AZ is that for the county to take the road over it has to be owned by the county.

The road I live on there are 3 other houses on and I maintain it with my tractor, I do not care though it gives me more seat time and I too woory about fire trucks and ambulances.

There are some other roads in my neighborhood that the Post Office will stop delivering to untill it dries out for fear of getting stuck.

 

[300UGUY]

I would move before I had anything to do with a road assoc. My road turns into a private road just below me. The houses are $400,000 +. Those people have done terrible things to one another, even gotten into fistfights. Their dues are only $10/ month or $120 per year. Ther are 12 houses. They have never collected more than $500 in any year. If you have any doubhts about your how low you fellow humans can get, just ask them for money for some thing like this.

 

[dooleysm]

Those are sure depressing posts, but about on par with what I'm expecting. So far I've still just heard back from 3 out 5 neighbors. One is the neighbor that gets all the water and rock runoff. He has a good road leading to his house, but his yard is a complete mess. All we've asked for is $100. He's got multiple 4 wheelers and dirtbikes sitting outside his trailer, so he has spare cash, at least sometimes.

My little L3000 just doesn't have the power and I don't have the attachments to do anything more than small cosmetic work to the road.

Oh well, we'll see what happens. The older I get, the less I stress over things.

 

[randydupree]

ok,i'm up and have had 2 cups,i'm ready!
on my road we have some people that want a tree trimmed,others that don't,always a big fight,of course they arent going to do any work themselfs.
i have a big truck and my rules are if it touches my truck it has to go. i got some of that tree killing spray and i spray the problem trees,no asking permission,just do it. and i don't tell anyone.

heres a new twist in Fl.on private roads,it has to be a deeded easement or the banks will not loan money for houses or improvements,just last year we had 3 homeowners adding on and could not get funding until we all deeded the easements,talk about a PITA. get 50 familys together and agree on that,plus the surveys and all that that had to take place.
i have had people call me to tell me a board was laying in the road,and could i go move it,they were just too busy to stop.like i have nothing to do?
i will never live on a private road ever again.
Randy

 

[dirtworksequip]

Shawn, I guess we have not been much help here on TBN. Seems like we have just hit on all the negative aspects of living on a private road. Most people just don't care enough to get involved in the road maintenace.Either physically or financially. Therefore the responsability falls on the few that will. Nine times out of 10 someone like yourself will try to do their best to get something done, but you can't do it all yourself. Wish I had the answers to your problem.I could relay my story to you about a 20 lot developement w/ private road we did on our property,but time and space would not permit it. Plus it isn't going to help out your situation.

I guess the best thing to do is get with the neighbors that are willing to help out money wise and see what can be done to fix the main problems with the money available.

Even in that situation you will probably find that one of those people will not be satisfied with the result for the money they spent.

Good luck,hope everything works out for you.

 

[dirtworksequip]

A couple other points. Stone roads require constant maintenance. I regrade ours about once a month, sometimes more depending on the weather. And you will always need to add stone to one spot or another once a year.

 

[Doc_Bob]

so heres what i'm doing,i'm moving to Ga. to get away from this dirt road and all the traffic thats come to my small town. I have never lived on a paved street in my 51 years,but i bought a place on a street,no more dirt roads for me. these greenie yuppies can buy a motorgrader because i'm taking mine to Ga.!
Randy

Too bad , you clearly like what you are doing. Sorry the neighbors never understood your generosity. Their loss!
Bob

 

[charlz]

Here in Idaho my county highway department is where you can go to get a Local Improvement District. You only need "not less than 2/3 thirds" of the affected property owners who will be "subject to assesment" (the ones who use the road in this case). There is a filing fee that is $1000 or 1% (whichever is LESS) of the total costs which you propose in your application. There is even a method to tap the General Fund for $$.

I have also seen people giving away culverts, rocks, gravel, dirt etc. on Craigslist for free. Could also try Freecycle. You might be able to get some of the critical stuff done for little to no money.

The golden rule that applies here is "you touch it, you own it" expect all the neighbors futher in than you to come to you whining about how they can't get to their houses and it is somehow your fault because you take care of the lower part of the road.

Charles