Mailbox Policy

Mailbox Policy – Mailbox Policy (.doc) or Mailbox Policy (PDF)

Mailbox Brochure – Mailbox Brochure (.doc) or Mailbox Brochure (PDF)

Barry County Road Commission

Mailbox Policy & Specifications

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to allow for the accommodation of mailboxes and paper delivery boxes within the Right of Ways under the jurisdiction of the Board of County Road Commissioners of Barry County, MI. The purpose of the specifications listed herein is to aid in providing a reasonably safe transportation system for the motoring public.

Policy Statement

It is the policy of the Board of County Road Commissioners of Barry County (BCRC) to require mailboxes and newspaper delivery boxes located within the Right of Way to be constructed in a manner which does not substantially interfere with the safety of the motoring public or the operation and maintenance of the county road system. A mailbox installation that does not conform to the provisions of this policy will be considered an unauthorized encroachment on the Right of Way and removal shall be administered in accordance with the State of Michigan Act 368, Public Acts of 1925, as amended. This policy is consistent with the rules and regulations of the U.S. Postal Service.

Mailbox Location

Mailbox location shall be determined by the U.S. Postal Service and all other delivery boxes should comply by placing their boxes on the same side of the road. The bottom of the box shall be set at an elevation determined by the U.S. Postal service, usually between 42 and 48 inches above the road surface.

Effective October 1^st, 2015 all mailboxes located within the Barry County Road Commission’s right-of-way must be located with the face of the box a minimum of 17’ perpendicular distance from the center of the roadway. As of the effective date, mailboxes that have not been relocated to the required location and are damaged by the Road Commission’s activity will no longer be eligible for reimbursement contained herein. Appeals can be made in person at the Road Commission Offices.

Structure and Composition

Mailboxes shall be of light steel, metal or plastic construction conforming to the requirements of the U.S. Postal Service. Newspaper boxes shall be of standard light metal or plastic construction specifically constructed for newspaper delivery.

No more than two mailboxes may be mounted on a support structure unless the support structure and mailbox arrangement meet the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) standards. However lightweight newspaper boxes may be mounted below the mailbox on the side of the support. Mailbox supports shall not be set in concrete unless the support design is shown to be safe by crash tests when so installed.

A single, 4 inch X 4 inch or 4 ½ inch diameter wooden post or a metal post with a strength no greater than a standard 2 inch diameter standard strength steel pipe are permissible as supports. No support shall be embedded more than 24 inches into the ground. A metal post shall not be fitted with an anchor plate but it may have an anti-twist device that extends no more than 10 inches below the ground surface.

The post-to-box attachment details should be of sufficient strength to prevent the mailbox from separating from the post top should the installation be struck by a vehicle. AASHTO publication “A Guide for Erecting Mailboxes on Highways” (1994) documents acceptable attachment details (available from BCRC) and acceptable mailbox support assemblies.

Removal of Nonconforming or Unsafe Mailboxes

Any mailbox that is found to violate the intent of this policy shall be removed by the owner upon notification. At the discretion of the BCRC and based on the assessment of hazard to the public, the owner will be notified and granted 30 days to remove an unacceptable installation. If not removed within the specified time, the installation will be removed by the BCRC at the owner’s expense as provided by ACT 368, Public Acts of 1925 as amended.

Mailboxes Damaged by BCRC

It is the policy of the Barry County Road Commission to replace or reimburse residents $25.00 for destroyed mailboxes (one per address) that were actually struck by Road Commission equipment, even though by law, the BCRC has no legal responsibility to do so. The homeowner shall submit a photo/s to the BCRC clearly showing the mailbox damage and location or address of the home. As an alternative, landowners may come to the BCRC and pick up a post and standard mailbox.