If installing a new curbside mailbox is on your To Do list this summer, make sure you place it the proper distance from the curb to help avoid damage from snow plows this winter.
Plows are big pieces of machinery and they are pushing heavy amounts of snow off the roads. Sometimes mailboxes are damaged in the process. But placing the mailbox the proper distance from the curb can help minimize the chance your mailbox will be damaged during plowing.
Adding reflectors to the mailbox also helps increase their visibility.
Mailbox Installation Guidelines
Below are the guidelines on mailbox placement from the United States Postal Service. More information is at https://www.usps.com/manage/mailboxes.htm
- Mailboxes should be located to the right of your driveway, to allow your mail carrier access to your mailbox without blocking your driveway
- The mailbox door should be 6”-8” from the curb or edge of the road (See Figure 1)
- The height of the mailbox should be 41”-45” from the road surface to the bottom of the mailbox (See Figure 2)
Figure 1
Figure 2
If you have questions, please contact the Public Works Department at 630.377.4405 or pwadminstaff@stcharlesil.gov.
