Washtenaw County, Michigan – As leaves change to brilliant hues and mornings begin with a heavy frost, the Washtenaw County Road Commission is asking county residents to prepare for winter by shaking their mailbox.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm has officially proclaimed Saturday, Oct. 24 as ‘Shake Your Mailbox Day’ in Michigan. Shake Your Mailbox Day is a joint effort on the part of county road commissions and the U.S. Postal Service.
“What started out as an innovative idea in one northern county is now a statewide endeavor,” says Washtenaw County Road Commission Director of Operations, Jim Harmon. “Many homeowners have started the practice of changing batteries in smoke detectors when clocks are changed for daylight savings time. In the same manner, our goal is to encourage homeowners to make time each fall to prepare their mailbox for winter.”
Record snow falls in recent winters have led to an increase in
the number of mailboxes damaged by heavy snow thrown from passing
plows. This creates a frustrating situation for homeowners
unable to receive their mail and the road agencies blamed for the
inconvenience. Although the Michigan Department of
Transportation and the Washtenaw County Road Commission have
policies in place regarding replacement of mailboxes that have
clearly been struck by the blade of a passing plow truck, these
road agencies have never assumed responsibility for mailbox damage
caused by flying snow being plowed from the roadway.
“We understand that damage to mailboxes is inconvenient to residents and we want to minimize problems this winter,” says Harmon. “The majority of mailbox damage is caused by thrown snow. Taking time to inspect and repair your mail receptacles now may prevent the inconvenience of a damaged mailbox in mid-winter. If the mailbox is not tightly secured to the post or if the post is rotted or otherwise damaged, this is likely an indication the mailbox and / or post may not be able to withstand standard snow removal operations and should be repaired or replaced prior to the onset of winter,” Harmon adds.
The Washtenaw County Road Commission and the U.S. Postal Service are reminding county residents that this is also a good time to replace loose hinges on the mailbox door and to replace or add reflective house numbers to allow postal workers and emergency responders to easily find your home.
Mailboxes are one of the only objects allowed by law to be placed in the road right-of-way. The Washtenaw County Road Commission has standards for the placement of mailboxes and newspaper delivery boxes along county roads. These standards conform to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Postal Service and are based on "A Guide for Erecting Mailboxes on Highways" published by the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO). If residents have questions on what is allowed, they should contact the Road Commission.
Contact
If you have any questions concerning this topic, please phone Jim Harmon, Director of Operations, at (734) 327-6653, or email jharmon@wcroads.org
Shake Your Mailbox Day, Michigan.gov