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November 16, 2011

Postal Service collection boxes in Augusta dwindling

By BETTY ADAMS Staff Writer

AUGUSTA -- Fewer letters being mailed means fewer collection boxes are needed, so the U.S. Postal Service has been slowly removing them in the capital city.

One of the latest to go in Augusta was at the corner of South Chestnut and Winthrop streets. Other blue mail collection boxes remain nearby -- about 75 yards away at 77 Winthrop St. and another 75 yards away on State Street, according to Tom Rizzo, spokesman for the Postal Service.

Rizzo noted that the trend is to have fewer boxes are on the street. Augusta has 42 blue collection boxes, down from 49 in 2008, he said.

"If there are 25 pieces of mail or less in a given mailbox for months on end, it costs the Postal Service money in fuel and time for our letter carriers to drive to that mailbox and collect the small amount of mail," Rizzo said. "Collection boxes also cost money to maintain, including re-painting, repairing and shoveling out after snowstorms. Removing the box is simply good business sense in that respect."

Rizzo said the decrease in collection boxes is not unique to Maine.

"It has been occurring for many years across the country. Societal changes are reflected through Postal Service mailboxes, so along with the reduction of mail comes the reduction of blue collection mailboxes," he said.

Rizzo said on Tuesday that the number of boxes had decreased nationally from 395,000 in 1985 to about 187,000 in 2009.

"The decision to remove a mailbox is made on a case-by-case basis, and we still maintain at least one collection box for every square mile or so in residential areas," Rizzo said. "It is important to note that anyone with a residential or business mailbox can use it as a vehicle to send outgoing mail. Most people today send their mail from home or work."

Rizzo also noted that mail can be sent from 32,000 post offices across the U.S., as well as more than 70,000 additional locations where people can buy stamps, deposit mail and conduct other business.

Betty Adams -- 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

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