What Is a Bargate?
A Bargate is a rod-shaped gate installed at the boundary of roads or premises to control the passage of vehicles.
In areas such as parking lots, facilities, and the entrances/exits of toll roads, the entry and exit of vehicles need to be managed. This involves controlling access for non-permitted vehicles, collecting parking fees or tolls, and, therefore, necessitates the installation of gates at the boundaries of these facilities to regulate the movement of vehicles.
While effectively controlling vehicle passage, the advantages of Bargates include their ability for swift opening and closing, and they do not obstruct the passage of pedestrians. As a result, Bargates are widely used in various facilities.
Uses of Bargate
Bargates are installed at entrances and exits of parking lots in commercial facilities, hospitals, public facilities, apartment complexes, entrances to toll roads, and facilities such as factories and laboratories. The purposes of installation include collecting parking fees and tolls, as well as preventing the entry of non-permitted vehicles.
1. Commercial Facilities and Public Facilities
In general parking lots of commercial and public facilities, Bargates are used at entrances and exits to collect parking fees. The gate opens upon receiving a parking ticket from a ticket dispenser near the entrance Bargate. Similarly, at the exit of the parking lot, after payment of the parking fee, the gate opens, allowing vehicles to exit.
2. Toll Roads
At the entrances and exits of toll roads, Bargates open upon the exchange of toll tickets and payment. In Japan, with the widespread use of ETC (Electronic Toll Collection), ETC gates automatically open and close based on information from the ETC card inserted into the ETC onboard unit. Toll charges are settled later through means such as credit cards.
3. Apartment Parking Lots
In parking lots of apartments, Bargates are primarily installed to prevent illegal parking by external parties. Only vehicles equipped with a remote key can enter the parking lot. Temporary visitors, wishing to park in the designated space, contact the resident for remote gate opening.
Principle of Bargate
One end of the Bargate rod is connected to the movable part that opens and closes the gate, while the other end rests on a support pillar when the gate is closed.
Gate opening and closing are typically performed by an electric motor. The electric motor operates in coordination with ticket dispensers and payment machines for parking fees.
Some Bargates are linked to a license plate recognition system. The license plate recognition system uses a camera near the Bargate to read the vehicle’s license plate. In parking lots where only authorized vehicles can enter, the gate opens if the license plate of the approaching vehicle matches the permitted ones in the database.
When using a license plate recognition system in a paid parking lot, the issued parking ticket is linked to the recognized vehicle’s license plate. If the user has paid the parking fee at the pre-payment machine, the Bargate at the exit, following instructions from the license plate recognition system, automatically opens.
Types of Bargates
Generally, Bargates are rod-shaped, made of aluminum or carbon fiber, with a length of around 2 to 3 meters. While usually a single rod, in cases where the open height hits the facility’s ceiling, they may have joints to bend in the middle. In locations requiring faster opening and closing, such as the entrance and exit of toll roads, they may be of the double-opening type with support pillars on both sides.
Some Bargates have signs, reflective mirrors, or lighting. For exits of parking lots or toll roads, there might be signs on the Bargate to prevent unintentional vehicle entry. In underground parking lots or during nighttime, to prevent vehicle collisions due to oversight of the Bargate, some are equipped with reflective materials or lighting.
Additionally, there are aesthetically designed Bargates or those adorned with decorations like illuminations, contributing to the improvement of the facility’s image.
How to Choose Bargate
Modern Bargates are mostly electric and interact with some systems. In the case of paid parking lots or toll roads, they are linked with systems that include ticket or toll payment machines. Furthermore, when integrating with systems such as camera-based vehicle recognition or ETC, the system becomes more extensive and complex.
When installing a Bargate, specifications, reliability, and maintenance are crucial. Additionally, a strategic approach to system integration and the choice of an integrator are equally important for successful operation.