Standards For Rural Mailboxes

FOREWORD

It is the duty of the County Engineer to provide the safest possible highway system for the traveling public of Shelby County. Section 5547 of the Ohio Revised Code provides for the removal of obstructions within the county highway system rights-of-way. The Federal Highway Administration has adopted the following standards for rural mailboxes. Mailboxes not in compliance with these standards are a safety hazard and an obstruction to the safe use of the highway and should be removed.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF MAILBOXES

All mailbox units, attachments, decals, supports and installation thereof are to be in strict accordance with United States Postal regulations and in compliance with the following specifications and standard drawings.

1. The mailbox unit shall be constructed entirely of plastic and/or lightweight galvanized steel attached to the support unit with sufficient strength to prevent the box from separating from the post top if struck by a vehicle.
   
2. The support structure (post) shall be either a wooden post (no larger than 4 inch x 4 inch square or 4 inch diameter round) or a metal post with a strength no greater than a 2 inch diameter standard strength steel pipe (with a weight not in excess or 2.6 lbs. per foot). No support structure 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. Mailbox supports shall not be set in concrete.
   
3. The unit shall be placed at an offset from the edge of the pavement so that the road- side face of the mailbox is no closer than 3' from the edge of the pavement. When a mailbox is installed in the vicinity of an existing guardrail, it shall be placed immediately behind the guardrail unless otherwise approved by the County Engineer.
   
4. Multiple mailbox units of more than two boxes shall not be mounted on one support. However, lightweight newspaper boxes may be mounted below the mailbox on the side of the mailbox support. Multiple posts shall be placed no less than three feet apart.
   
5. Designs not described in this brochure will be acceptable only if written approval is granted by the Shelby County Engineer's Office.
   
6. The owner shall assume responsibility for and shall hold Shelby County harmless and defend any and all claims for personal injury and property damages that might be brought as a result of this work.
   

WARNING

Following are excerpts from a 1992 Ohio Supreme Court ruling:

"WHERE AN ABUTTING LANDOWNER OR OCCUPIER USES THE HIGHWAY RIGHT-OF-WAY IN A MANNER INCONSISTENT WITH A HIGHWAY PURPOSE, AND WHERE SUCH USAGE CONSTITUTES AN UNREASONABLE HAZARD TO USERS OF THE HIGHWAY, THE LAND OWNER OR OCCUPIER MAY BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES PROXIMATELY CAUSED BY THE IMPROPER USE OF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY." "A LAND OWNER OR OCCUPIER IS UNDER OBLIGATION TO KNOW THE BOUNDARIES OF THE PROPERTY. THE BORDER OF THE RIGHT-OF- WAY IS A BOUNDARY LINE LIKE ANY OTHER."

To reduce the liability exposure of land owners or occupiers and Shelby County, we have an obligation to inform you that anything which you cause to be placed, or cause to remain, on the right-of-way, you should make arrangements to have them removed.