What easement gives the owner and the public the right to cross an adjacent property when there is no public road?

The correct answer is an access easement. This type of easement specifically allows individuals—including both the property owner and the public—to cross over adjoining land when there are no other means of access, such as a public road. Access easements are vital in ensuring that properties are not landlocked, providing necessary routes for vehicles and pedestrians to reach public roads or other essential areas.

In contrast, a right-of-way typically refers to a legal right to pass through specific areas, often associated with roads or pathways, but may not imply public access as directly as an access easement. A utility easement is focused on facilitating the placement of utility lines or infrastructure, which does not inherently grant passage rights to the public or property owners. Lastly, a support easement is concerned with structural support for buildings or towers and does not pertain to access or traversal across properties. Thus, the access easement is the most suitable choice for allowing passage in the absence of a public route.