Entry Gate Reconfiguration

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Project History

In 2012 the Board of Directors instructed staff to develop long-term plans to address gate conditions. These plans included:

  • Relocating the gate building to facilitate safe turnaround and traffic merging
  • Automated entry using a license plate reader or transponder
  • Changes to the exit lane to improve safety and reduce speeds
  • Relocation of the Brown Lane intersection to eliminate traffic conflicts

There were several starts and stops between 2012 and 2018. The project was a high priority for the Board of Directors when Bill Malinen was hired as General Manager in September 2018. After reviewing the proposed $1.4-million project

Project History

In 2012 the Board of Directors instructed staff to develop long-term plans to address gate conditions. These plans included:

  • Relocating the gate building to facilitate safe turnaround and traffic merging
  • Automated entry using a license plate reader or transponder
  • Changes to the exit lane to improve safety and reduce speeds
  • Relocation of the Brown Lane intersection to eliminate traffic conflicts

There were several starts and stops between 2012 and 2018. The project was a high priority for the Board of Directors when Bill Malinen was hired as General Manager in September 2018. After reviewing the proposed $1.4-million project, the Board and General Manager determined that the total project cost was unaffordable. Instead the Board and General Manager focused on two high-impact, low-cost portions of the project.


Gatehouse Security System Reduces Crime

An yellow and green down arrow indicating that crime has dropped, with a 74% decrease in mail theft at the bottom of the arrowCrime reduction in the first year after the Gatehouse/RFID system installation

The Gatehouse Security System has improved security for all residents while creating a revenue stream - the RFID stickers - that paid for the system. The urgency of installation was due to the excessive forgeries of gate passes and unverifiable phone-in passes. The first year after launch saw all types of police reports significantly reduced.






Gate Drainage Project

Orange rocks, each larger than a basketball, on the side of a ditch with a dump truck in the distance

Once the Gatehouse software improved security, we looked to address the most critical infrastructure item - drainage. The negotiated price for correcting drainage issues was $600,000. This project was internal until Public Works Director Van Wagoner left, so we hired Transtech to complete the project analysis and design and provide construction management. During this time, we discovered that the 2015 storm that caused the mudslide at the gate was a "1000-year-storm," and our "100-year-storm" design would not have prevented the incident from occurring.

We moved ahead with cleaning and improving the existing channels and installing rip-rap to make them last. This modification to the plans enabled us to complete the project for $150,000 instead of the $600,000 we had anticipated.

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  • Share enhancements for larger vehicles on Facebook Share enhancements for larger vehicles on Twitter Share enhancements for larger vehicles on Linkedin Email enhancements for larger vehicles link

    enhancements for larger vehicles

    by Rick Kirchner, over 3 years ago
    The small jog as we approach the gate is an issue for larger vehicles, especially when towing. I haven't had to bring my RV with a trailer thru the gate yet, but I suspect it would be a close call. Hopefully the re-configuration will eliminate this or make it longer, as well as widening the merge area. I'm not sure we need something sticking up between the lanes (it will get hit) but more room would solve a lot of the issues.


    I highly recommend to not put in a serpentine either before or after the gate unless you want... Continue reading
    The small jog as we approach the gate is an issue for larger vehicles, especially when towing. I haven't had to bring my RV with a trailer thru the gate yet, but I suspect it would be a close call. Hopefully the re-configuration will eliminate this or make it longer, as well as widening the merge area. I'm not sure we need something sticking up between the lanes (it will get hit) but more room would solve a lot of the issues.


    I highly recommend to not put in a serpentine either before or after the gate unless you want to spend a lot of time painting and fixing it, because people WILL hit it.


    With respect for the desires to have a dedicated turn-around lane - this only really works if you have arms to prevent someone from moving straight ahead, and that means more arms, and more maintenance.

    I've worked at military bases all around the world, and the only places where this is used, even with the government's deep pockets, are in very high threat areas - the Navy's base in Bahrain has one of these.

    The easiest thing to do is to simply have decent turn around space after the gate. The gate guard takes the person's driver's license and directs the person to go to the area and turn around, holds traffic so the turn can be made safely, and he hands the license back on the other side of the gate. This is also needed because there will be large vehicles that need to turn around and its unlikely that there's enough room for that directly in front of a gatehouse - at least I've never seen it. We did this at China Lake even after the expensive gate re-configuration there and 20 years after 9/11. We just don't have the security concerns here that require some of the expensive things that people want to do.

    Gate runners? That's what the PD and Sheriff are for, and you have the guy's ID, and a pic of the vehicle and plate. You just have to be able to back it up with either a trespassing charge or a permanent entry ban.

    The problem with exit speed is the hill. Please do not put in speed bumps. All they do is damage cars and if someone were to lose control, then the gatehouse is a place they might hit.

    I don't mind an automated system based on plate readers but I do not want my data stored in any way. My comings and goings are not anybody's business but mine.

    I do think the yearly fee for an RFID tag, given that your amenities card is an RFID tag already, is just ridiculous.

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    Gate Signage: Yield To Lane On The Right

    by GJ, almost 4 years ago

    Signage needed for public safety as follows: The need to be a sign installed where lanes merge after entering front entry gate that reads as follows or similar: YIELD TO THE RIGHT LANE

    Visitors and others are not familiar with and/or not expecting the right RFD lane merging into a single lane on Bear Valley Road. Left lane needs a sign installed between the two lanes before they merge to a single lane to make them aware and to remind them to yield to the right lane.

    Signage needed for public safety as follows: The need to be a sign installed where lanes merge after entering front entry gate that reads as follows or similar: YIELD TO THE RIGHT LANE

    Visitors and others are not familiar with and/or not expecting the right RFD lane merging into a single lane on Bear Valley Road. Left lane needs a sign installed between the two lanes before they merge to a single lane to make them aware and to remind them to yield to the right lane.

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    Non-entry turn around

    by Hose, over 4 years ago
    I would like to see a lane/process of keeping those not authorized entry to be turned around without letting them through the gate. Currently, those not granted access are let through the gate to turn around and there is little to enforce that the actually do exit the valley as directed by the gate staff. Having a u-turn line directly behind the gatehouse or something similar would be nice to see added.
    I would like to see a lane/process of keeping those not authorized entry to be turned around without letting them through the gate. Currently, those not granted access are let through the gate to turn around and there is little to enforce that the actually do exit the valley as directed by the gate staff. Having a u-turn line directly behind the gatehouse or something similar would be nice to see added.
Page last updated: 03 Sep 2022, 02:58 PM