Viewers express concern about mailboxes on sidewalks in SE Colorado Springs neighborhood
Scott Harrison
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — At a time when local governments are focusing more on pedestrian safety, mailbox placement has become an issue for several viewers who recently contacted KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior.
Those viewers said that many of the streets east of Sierra High School — between Jet Wing Drive and Astrozon Boulevard — have mailboxes that are near or in the middle of sidewalks.
“I have a friend here who walks with a walker, and I know she always walks in the street,” said Margo Dunbar, who lives in the area. “But I’ve never asked her why.”
Tom Moreno lives on a block where — for unclear reasons — all of the homes have mailboxes off the sidewalk.
“Accessibility for wheelchairs is not very good,” he said. “When people do come by here with wheelchairs, you see that they’re having difficulty getting up onto that type of sidewalk.”
Because the area is part of an older neighborhood, it’s possible that the original developer or builder placed the mailboxes on sidewalks and curbs to provide easy mail delivery for postal carriers.
Several neighbors said that they moved their mailboxes off the sidewalks and into their yards to avoid obstructing them.
City officials explained that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires a clearance of at least three feet around a mailbox, and the city prefers a maximum of four feet; however, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has overall authority over mailbox placement.
The city said that when disputes arise, city officials try to meet with the USPS and affected homeowners to resolve the situation.
Solutions include asking homeowners to relocate their mailboxes, providing alternative access (such as establishing a single location for mailboxes in a neighborhood), or changing the design of future sidewalk projects.
Dunbar said that she’s willing to move her mailbox if it’s causing a problem for pedestrians, and wouldn’t support community mailboxes.
“I like to see the mailman putting the mail in my mailbox, and then I come out and get it,” she said. “Some of the homes have larger mailboxes that are locked for security. I would think those are harder for someone to get around.”
The city asks that residents report any sidewalk concerns to ensure clear, accessible sidewalks for everyone.