City finds solution for drive-up mail drop off
By Ed Nadolski
Editor in chief
After several years of having to park and get out of their cars to mail letters, Burlington residents will soon have drive-up mailboxes once again.
Jill Ehlen, delivery supervisor at the Burlington Post Office, said Tuesday maintenance workers were expected to move the trio of mailboxes currently located on Dodge Street just north of State Street to the parking lot at the Post Office, 100 S. Pine Street.
“It’s going to be much better for everyone,” Ehlen said. “We’d been getting tons of complaints (about the current location).”
The Dodge Street location worked fine up until several years ago when the city reverted back to two-way traffic on the street. Prior to that, one-way traffic heading north could pull to the left side of the road and motorists could deposit mail without leaving the driver’s seat.
Since then drivers have been forced to pull over, get out of their cars and – depending on their direction of travel – cross two lanes of traffic to mail their letters.
Last year the matter reached the City Council where aldermen eventually turned to the city’s Department of Public Works to come up with a solution.
Ehlen said city staff suggested the new location at the south side of the parking lot and the city even covered the expense of pouring a concrete platform on which to install the mailboxes.
She said the new location allows enough room for cars to park in the lot and for those driving through to use the mailboxes.
Ehlen didn’t know the exact date the mailboxes would be moved, but said the switch will be made by next week at the latest.
“I didn’t want all of Burlington to calling wondering where we moved them to,” she said.
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