[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Sh-Sh-Shake Your Mailbox
St. Joseph County observes 8th Annual Shake Your Mailbox Day
Centreville, Mich. – The St. Joseph County Road Commission is asking residents to prepare for winter by shaking their mailbox. The entire month of October is “Shake Your Mailbox” in Michigan.
“In most instances where mailboxes are damaged, the snow plow doesn’t actually hit the mailbox, but the force of snow thrown from the roadway is enough to knock down a loose mailbox,” Chris Minger, Interim Manager said. “Damage to posts and receptacles can often be prevented by proper routine maintenance.”
Shake Your Mailbox Day started in 2008 as the innovative idea of one county frustrated by residents’ complaints of damaged mailboxes. The County Road Association of Michigan and the United States Postal Service joined forces in 2009 for a statewide campaign. The campaign that generated a few chuckles at first has come to save homeowners both money and headaches.
Many homeowners have started the practice of changing batteries in smoke detectors and filters in furnaces when clocks are changed for daylight savings time. In the same manner, Shake Your Mailbox reminds homeowners to prepare their mailbox for winter.
“Taking time to tighten screws and secure mail receptacles now can prevent serious headaches later,” Chris Minger, Interim Manager said. “If the mailbox moves when shaken, it probably won’t withstand standard snow removal operations and should be repaired or replaced before winter.”
Although the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and St. Joseph County Road Commission have policies in place regarding replacement of mailboxes that have clearly been hit by a snowplow, road agencies have never assumed responsibility for mailbox damage caused by standard snow removal operations.
Mailboxes are one of the only objects allowed by law to be placed in the road right-of- way. The location and construction of mailboxes must conform to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Postal Service and standards established by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).”
“We will be out in coming weeks marking roadsides and preparing for winter maintenance operations,” Chris Minger, Interim Manager said. “Each fall we find mailboxes that pose a serious roadside hazard to motorists and a liability risk for homeowners. Although milk cans filled with concrete, brick structures and other items are artistic, they present significant dangers to motorists.”
If you have questions on what is permitted, please visit our website www.stjoeroads.com/policies. St. Joseph County Road Commission – Your Local Road Professionals located in Centreville, Michigan.
For more information, please click on these links below:
- Shake Your Mailbox 2018
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