Policies

 

Policy Subject: MAILBOX POLICY
Authorized by Board of Road Commissioners
 Date: 02/13/76
Amended Date: 12/27/00
Amended Date: 05/01/02
Amended   Date: 02/15/06

Mailboxes and newspaper delivery boxes (hereafter referred to as mailbox) placed in the Lapeer County right-of-way shall conform to U.S. Postal Service regulations and the following standards set forth by the Lapeer County Road Commission. All mailboxes in the Lapeer County right-of-way shall meet these standards; there is no grandfather clause.

Location:

  • No mailbox shall be permitted where access is obtained from the lanes of a freeway or where law or regulation otherwise prohibits access.
  • Mailboxes shall be located on the right-hand side of the roadway in the direction of the delivery route. The bottom shall be set at an elevation established by the U.S. Postal Service. The roadside face of the box shall be offset 8” from the edge of the shoulder (paved roads), edge of traveled way (gravel roads), or face of curb.
  • Where a mailbox is located at an intersecting road, it shall be located a minimum of 100 feet beyond the center of the intersecting road.
  • Where a mailbox is located at a driveway entrance, it shall be placed on the far side of the driveway in the direction of the delivery route.
  • Where a mailbox is located in a guardrail section, it shall be placed behind the guardrail, when possible, with the face of the box even with the back of rail.
  • All mailboxes serving residents on private roads shall be accessed from the private roads and shall not be placed along roads under the jurisdiction of the Lapeer County Road Commission.

Structure:

  • Mailboxes shall be constructed of light sheet metal, plastic or similar weight materials conforming to the requirements of the U.S. Postal Service. Newspaper boxes shall be constructed of light sheet metal or plastic and shall be placed on the same side of the road as the mailbox. Newspaper boxes may also be mounted below the mailbox on the side of the mailbox support.
  • No more than two mailboxes may be mounted on a support structure.
  • A single 4x4 inch square, 4-inch diameter wooden post or a metal post with strength no greater than a 2-inch diameter standard strength steel pipe shall be acceptable as a mailbox support. The mailbox support shall not 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.
  • The post-to-box attachment details should be sufficient strength to prevent the box from separating from the post top if a vehicle strikes the installation.

Removal of Non-conforming or Unsafe Mailboxes:

  • A mailbox that conforms to the aforementioned criteria will be considered acceptable unless in the judgment of the Engineer of the Road Commission, the installation interferes with the safety of the traveling public or the function, maintenance, or operation of the highway system.
If a mailbox is found to be in violation of the above criteria and standards, the owner will be cited with a removal order in accordance with MCL 247.171, which allows the owner 30 days to remove the mailbox. If the owner does not comply, the Road Commission at the owner’s expense shall remove the mailbox.

Mailbox Damage Caused by Road Commission Operations:

  • Occasionally, the Road Commission, as a result of its daily activities such as grading and snow plowing, may accidentally strike, knock down or damage a mailbox. Because of statutory responsibility of the Road Commission to maintain the roadways and County right-of-ways, the agency is not held liable or responsible for any damage caused to private installations located within those roads and/or right-of-ways. However, the Road Commission shall offer the owner a replacement post and mailbox, which will be available at the Road Commission office.
  • The Road Commission reserves the right not to offer a replacement post and mailbox if they feel the replacement is not justified.

 

 

Policy Subject: SIGNS
Authorized by Board of Road Commissioners Date: 10/07/81
Amended Date: 08/06/03
Amended Date:
The Michigan Manual for the Uniform Code of Traffic Control Devices (MMUTCD) states, Any unauthorized sign placed on the highway right of way by a private organization or individual constitutes a public nuisance. All unofficial and nonessential signs should be removed. This is supported by state law also. The Michigan Vehicle Code, Section 615c and d says, ‘Prohibited signs; public nuisance, removal. (c). Every such prohibited sign, signal, marking, device, decoration, or banner is herby declared to be a public nuisance and the authority having jurisdiction over the highway is herby empowered to remove the same or cause to be removed without notice…’
An entity may allow exceptions to the law but they cannot diminish their responsibility. Therefore, permitting any sign within the right of way under the jurisdiction of the Lapeer County Road Commission created a liability for the Road Commission and for the organization or individual placing the sign.
For the reasons cited above, no signs are permitted in the right of way under the jurisdiction of the Lapeer County Road Commission.
All signs within the right of way under the jurisdiction of the Lapeer County Road Commission will be removed without notice and destroyed.

 

 

Policy Subject: Snow Removal
Authoized by the Board of Road Commissioner Date: 02/26/93
Amended Date: 10/30/00
1. Plowing/salting hour of operation are 3 a.m. to 11 p.m.
2. If a storm is in process, one or more trucks can remain on duty between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. for emergencies.
3. State trunk lines are maintained in accordance with state goals.
4. Primary roads are center bare on overtime, with clean up to be done during straight time hours.
5. Local paved roads will be plowed/salted after the primary roads are completed. For local paved roads, 3-4 feet of center bare pavement is standard; however, not on overtime.
6. Local paved roads with hills, curves and railroad crossing can be plowed/salted during overtime hours, only if icy conditions exist, or if the ADT exceeds 1,000; with approval of management.
7. Local gravel roads are plowed only if 4 or more inches of snow falls. Local gravel roads will be plowed during straight time hours.
8. General overtime for local roads is authorized only if citizens are blocked in, at which time the roads will be unblocked only enough to get one lane open.
9. Salt application rate is 500 lbs per mile.

 

 

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