Because legally, charging a fee means it wasn't a public easement, it was licensed access across private land. If you're arguing that it should be "taken" as a

Because legally, charging a fee means it wasn't a public easement, it was licensed access across private land. If you're arguing that it should be "taken" as an easement of necessity, that's separate, and a more political question. Easements by necessity are granted generally when no other access is possible; they're not for convenience. Additionally, (for private party transactions anyway) the party that creates the encumbrance is who is responsible for granting access. If you're not responsible for isolating the tract of land, then there's not (usually) any requirement to grant an easement. And even if there is, it wouldn't be a public easement. And by responsible, I mean in terms of land transactions and changes in law, not putting up a gate.