Rural mailboxes must be constructed for the convenience of the carrier, as well as the safety of other motorists, including snowplow vehicles. If it seems that we continually hit your mailbox it might possibly not be placed properly. Mailboxes must be located on the right-hand side of the road in the direction of the route line of travel. Posts should be located a minimum of 3' feet (5' is ideal) from the edge of the pavement.

The Federal Highway Administration has determined that mailbox supports should be no larger than 4-inches-by-4 inches, or 4 ½ inches in diameter woods posts or 2 inches in diameter steel or aluminum pipe, buried no more than 24 inches in the ground, and should break away if struck by a vehicle. The mailbox must be securely attached to its post to prevent separation when struck. Plastic mailbox/post systems are not recommended with our weather, since the cold makes the plastic brittle and break easily. Heavy metal posts, concrete posts and items of farm equipment such as a milk can filled with concrete are examples of dangerous supports. The ideal support is an assembly that bends or falls away from a striking vehicle.

Customers should use USPS-approved mailboxes on which the box number appears on the side visible to the carrier. Boxes should be installed at a height of 3 ½ to 4 feet from the road surface to the bottom of the box. However, because of varying road conditions, the UDPD recommends that customers contact their local postmasters before erecting their mailboxes.

Winter Safety Reminders…

We highly discourage children to be playing near the road in the high piles of snow, they can become trapped if they've dug holes or tunnels if the snow collapses or the snowplow comes by and pushes more snow back.

Do not plow the snow out into the road.

For your safety and ease of retrieving your mail, clean out the snow around your mailbox regularly.

If a storm is anticipated remove vehicles from the roadside shoulders. This allows the plows to clear the area the first time through.

Driveway Aprons…

Driveway apron installation with a cement gutter at the shoulder can be done with cement, blacktop or stone, as shown in the illustration below.

Driveway apron installation with an enclosed or open ditch can only be done with blacktop or stone as shown in the illustration below.