The City of Wanamingo maintenance staff have surveyed positions of mailboxes throughout town. Some mailboxes are either too low to the ground or too close to the curbs. The Citywide mailbox position survey came up due to multiple mailboxes being damaged each year during snow removal. Nearly all the damaged mailboxes do not meet United States Postal Service (USPS) position location standards. These standards are in place for specific reasons, including clearance for snow removal. The City snowplow wings do not have the required clearance at some mailbox in order to push the snow off the road and into the boulevard. City staff have to navigate around some of these mailboxes in order to avoid hitting them with the snowplow wing due to the low clearance height off the ground or the close proximity to the street.
The City of Wanamingo’s snow removal policy mailbox section states that the City may only be responsible for damages when the plow, and not weight of snow, hits the mailbox. Mailboxes are required to be installed and maintained according to the USPS mailbox regulations. The City is also not responsible if the mailbox in question did not meet the USPS mailbox regulations. Regulations include the bottom of the mailbox being 41” - 45” from ground level, the front of the box being 6” – 8” from the front curb, and the post should be level (not leaning).
The City sent letters to a number of residents in order to be proactive in addressing any place deficiencies before next winter. The street and the boulevards are legally considered City right-of-way. The City has authority to direct how improvements, such as mailboxes, are made within the right-of way. Snow removal is a normal maintenance task in which snow is pushed and deposited into the boulevard. Residents should consider reviewing their mailbox positions. If the positions do not meet USPS standards resident should consider reinstalling their mailbox next spring/summer according the attached USPS mailbox regulations. Thank you for your considerations.
