Town of Waldoboro
Public Works Department
John Daigle, Public Works Director
Mailboxes:
Broken mailbox posts may happen during a snow storm, even though our plow
drivers are warned to take all precautions to avoid striking them with the wing
of the plow.
Some tips on placement of mailboxes that will help minimize the chance of damage:
- Place reflective material on the side of the box visible to approaching traffic.
Also, 4 in. high letters to identify the address is recommended to assist emergency
vehicles.
- Mailbox post size must not exceed 4” x 4” for a wooden post of 2” diameter for a
steel pipe post for roadside barrier safety. Posts that are more substantial in
construction are considered “deadly fixed objects” and are not permitted within
the Town way.
- Mailboxes should be installed at least 42” high to provide clearance for the plow
wing as shown in the picture. We recommend of an extended arm type post
with a free-swinging suspended mailbox. This
allows snowplows to sweep near or under boxes without damage to supports and
provides easy access to the boxes by the carrier and customer.
Heavy Loads Limited
The annual posting of roads starts Monday, March 3rd this year and will continue
until May 15th unless weather conditions permit an earlier un-posting. Certain
Town roads are posted annually to protect the roads from heavy truck traffic
during early spring conditions when the roadbed first begins to thaw out and
the base remains saturated with water and unable to support the wheel loads.
Posting is required to prevent significant damage to the road pavement.
Things you can do to help the Public Works Department this winter:
- Make certain your vehicle is ready for winter driving and do not drive in
winter storms unless absolutely necessary.
- Reduce your speed. This is the #1 cause of winter accidents.
- Please do not park in the roadway or shoulder area during a storm.
This allows our plows to clear the area the first time through without having
to return to clean it up later. Remember, parking on town roads from 12
midnight to 7 a.m. is prohibited from November 15th to April 1st and anytime
during a storm cars can and have been towed from the streets if they
interfere with our work. Also, please do not place any rocks, marker posts,
or similar obstructions within 4 feet of the roads edge. We need to plow
out this area for drainage and space to put snow for future storms.
- Do not shovel, snow blow, or have your driveway plowed into or across
the road. This is prohibited by law and can cause a serious traffic hazard.
If possible, it is best to place snow on the side opposite from which the plow
is coming. That way the plow will carry snow away from your driveway rather
than back into it.
- If possible, wait until the highway has been plowed before cleaning out the
end of your driveway. There is no practical way to plow the highway without
depositing snow into your driveway. Please understand the Town cannot go
back and shovel or plow out the end of any private driveway.
- Remove basketball hoops , fences, and any other obstruction from the
Town’s right-of-way.
- Finally, please be patient. Whether it’s your driveway that you are
responsible for or the 83 road miles that the Town is responsible for, snow
removal is an arduous and time consuming job. If a storm is of long duration,
we are a small organization with limited reserves and the workers continue
around the clock until the job is done. We strive for the safest streets and
roads at a reasonable cost in the shortest period of time.
Thank you in advance,
John Daigle, Public Works Director
