Local

Bellingham neighbors want mailboxes moved, take matters into own hands

BELLINGHAM, Mass. — Center Street in Bellingham is a wide two lane, flat road that serves as a busy cut through.

The speed limit here is 45 miles an hour, and mailboxes in one stretch of Center Street are only located on the odd side of the road.

Neighbors living on the even side of the street, many of them elderly, have been asking the U.S. Post Office for permission to move their mailboxes across the street.

They’ve been denied.

Then, in March, 87-year-old Mary Gregoire was struck and killed by a truck as she was getting her mail.

That led to State Representative Michael Soter (R- 8th Worcester) getting involved and on Thursday, he installed mailboxes for 12 residents on the even side of Center.

The first mailbox was placed right in front of Mary Gregoire’s house.

“I know accidents happen. But we could have eliminated this if the Postal Service just honored their request a year ago, to move these mailboxes,” said Soter. “She didn’t deserve to die, and it’s falling on deaf ears."

Terri McGlynn lives on the same side of Center Street as Mary Gregoire. She has spent months trying to persuade the US Postal Service to let the mailboxes be moved to her side of the road, only to be denied.

“This is ridiculous, us crossing this road at this rate of speed,” said McGlynn. “It’s awful. There’s so much red tape.”

Bellingham Town Administrator Dennis Fraine said he is having no luck changing the U.S. Postal Service’s mind either.

“The residents have to play a game of chicken to cross the street to get their mail. It’s just not right,” said Fraine.

Bellingham Police Chief Gerard Daigle also wants the mailboxes moved.

“This is a safety factor all day long there’s no doubt about it,” said Daigle.

Soter paid for the 12 mailboxes that he installed along Center Street.

He is telling the U.S. Postal Service he wants the new boxes used for mail delivery by November first.

Soter told the resident, “I don’t want any one of you to be at risk anymore you, your children, anybody, crossing a street you shouldn’t be crossing to get your mail.”

In a statement to Boston 25 News, the U.S. Postal Service said it is aware of the situation in Bellingham and that a team of Managers is looking into it.

The Postal Service added, a report should be available soon.