Service Requests
As you come across potholes, contact us with a good description of where they are -- nearest address, distance from intersection, what side of the road, etc. We can always use another set of “eyes” out there!
Report road problems to 231-922-4848 or email us at: gtcrc@gtcrc.org
Winter Preparedness
We are gearing up for winter. Our winter sand pile is nearly as tall as as our salt barn. Sander boxes, spreaders and blades are being installed as our trucks change gears from summer to winter operations.
There is still time to check your furnace and its filters, smoke detectors, chimneys and mailboxes. The often-overlooked mailbox needs to be checked, too. Click here for a quick overview on mailbox winter survival tips - a few minutes of inspection and repair could save hours of outdoor repairs and lost/damaged mail.
Snowfall summary is as follows:
November 2011 2.5"
December 2011 2.75"
January 2012 48.50" for a season total of 53.75"
Check the snowfall detail amounts here.
Notice to Bidders
We are currently out for Bid Annual Material and Services so if you know a business that would benefit from knowing, please let them know or pass along their information to us so we can send them an email. The items out for bid are too numerous to list here, so please visit our Bid page.
The Road Commission is also going out for bid for Truck(s) and Installation of Equipment for the trucks. Please visit our Bid page for details.
PrintMailboxes
Mailbox Maintenance
"SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE - Shake your mailbox, shake your mailbox!"
This is a good time to check your mailbox. The weather is conducive to shaking it out to see what repairs are needed. Doing it now will save much headaches compared with waiting until winter.
As the sports saying goes, the best offense is a good defense. To defend your decorative or oversize mailbox against the forces of snow removal operations, replacing it with an inexpensive standard mailbox is a good offensive action. Snow and ice coming off the plow at 35 MPH and in the mass quantities pack a much bigger punch than any snowball ever could!
Before the ground freezes is the best time to "shake"/check your mailbox installation to be sure it can withstand the upcoming winter season by answering the following questions.
*Is the wood board your mailbox is setting upon in good condition? Wood rots over time and a deterioriated board is a major cause of your mailbox landing in your front yard from the snow coming off the plow. Callers frequently state that their mailbox has been there for years and they have never had a problem. If this is your situation, it is probably time to give it a good inspection.
*Are the nails to the board loose? If so, it can become a projectile.
* How about the wood post in the ground? Again, an old wood post may be rotten or that one small knot in will become the place where the post "splits," just like a piece of firewood.
* A simple check: If you can physically shake/juggle your mailbox installation and it "gives," even just a little, it will give out when the snow and ice removal season is here.
*If your mailbox has been in place for any length of time, weather has surely compromised even the best installation.
*We do not recommend plastic mailboxes. Plastic becomes brittle and shatters very easily in cold weather conditions. At one time, Rubbermaid guaranteed their plastic green mailboxes, but not any more.
Damaged Mailboxes/Installations
The Road Commission does not replace or repair mailboxes and posts. It is up to the landowner. Landowners put their mailboxes in the road right-of-way without a permit from the Road Commission and at their own risk. See the picture above and on our home page - that's a lot of snow (or ice) coming off. Be prepared - "A stitch in time can save nine." and keep your mail coming.
Installation
Standard mailboxes are allowed without a permit in the road right-of-way as a public service. Mailbox installation requirements are as follows:The face of the mailbox shall be placed a minimum of 6' off the edge of the blacktop OR 1' behind the road shoulder, whichever is farthest from the centerline of the road.
Single mailboxes should be installed on 4" x 4" or 4.5" diameter wood posts or steel posts less than 3 lbs per foot.
These supports should be embedded with no more than 24" in the ground.
Multiple mailbox installations should be placed on individual supports spaced at least 3' apart. Planks or structures for multiple installations are NOT allowed.
Mailboxes shall have colored or reflective numbers that are not less than one inch in size. Groups of mailboxes must be in sequential order, if the box is not on the same side of the street as the residence.
For USPS standards, click on this link: