Policies

Mailbox Policy

Occasionally the plow crews knock down mailboxes while clearing roads from storms. If your mailbox gets knocked down, we will repair or replace it. Replacement mailboxes will only be the standard black metal mailboxes, regardless of the type broken. The plastic mailboxes and “Step 2” type mailboxes are oversized, become brittle in freezing temperature, and tend to break more often.

The following is the ODOT policy for supports and location:

803.1.1 Mailbox Supports

Mailbox installations located within the clear zone shall be installed as shown in Figure 803-1 using “breakaway” type supports.

Satisfactory supports are as follows:

1. Maximum 4 inches by 4 inches square or 4½ inch diameter round timber.
2. Maximum 2 inch diameter (2-3/8″ O.D.) Schedule 40 standard strength steel pipe.
3. Any material with breakaway cross section characteristics equivalent to 1 or 2 above.

Group mailbox supports should be placed on three-foot centers and the turnout lengthened to accommodate the grouping. No more than two mailboxes shall be placed on each post. Where guardrail exists, mailboxes and their supports should be located behind the guardrail. Supports must still meet the breakaway requirements listed above.

Mowing, Tree Cutting, Vegetation Control (ORC 5543.14)

The mowing crews generally try to do three rounds of mowing along the sides of the roadways. The intent is to remove the brush and high grass that could interfere with sight distance, block signs, or potentially fall onto the road. It also allows the ditches to dry up quicker after storm events, thus helping to control the mosquitoes. County forces may also utilize spraying on certain roads to control vegetation around guardrail and signs, and also along roadside ditches for weed control.

There are an abundance of dead or dying trees, many are ash trees, along the roadway that are creating a hazard for the traveling public. If it is deemed necessary to remove trees or limbs, the limbs are chipped up, and the trees are cut down and left near the location they were located for the owner to use the wood.

If you have a dead tree that is a hazard to the roadway, you may report it here.

202-2 Warning Signs for Children (From ODOT Traffic Engineering Manual)

Signs intended to alert drivers that children may be present in an area, such as CHILDREN AT PLAY, WATCH FOR CHILDREN, BLIND CHILD, DEAF CHILD or AUTISTIC CHILD have not been shown to have a discernable benefit to traffic safety but still remain popular with the public. No factual evidence has been presented to document the success of this type of signing in reducing pedestrian accidents, operating speeds or legal liability. Studies have shown that many types of signs attempting to warn of normal conditions in residential areas, or conditions that are not always present, have failed to achieve the desired safety benefits.

Children should not be encouraged to play in the roadway. If signs encourage parents and children to believe they have an added degree of protection, which the signs do not and cannot provide, this can result in a disservice. This type of signing has long been rejected since it is a direct and open suggestion that this behavior is acceptable.

For these reasons, ODOT does not provide CHILDREN AT PLAY, WATCH FOR CHILDREN, BLIND CHILD, DEAF CHILD, AUTISTIC CHILD or similar signing. This type of signing is not recommended for use on any roadway at any time.

202-3 HIDDEN DRIVE Signs (From ODOT Traffic Engineering Manual)

The use of this sign was discontinued on ODOT-maintained highways in 1970 when traffic observations and experience disclosed that drivers on the through roadway were ignoring the sign message. The signs had little or no effect in alerting drivers or in reducing their speed.

The erection of HIDDEN DRIVE signs could create a false sense of security for the driveway user. The driveway traffic should be fully aware of the hazard of entering the through roadway, and should not be misled into thinking that the through traffic will be prepared to yield or stop. For these reasons, ODOT does not provide HIDDEN DRIVE or similar signing.

202-16 Deer Crossing Symbol Sign (W11-3) (From ODOT Traffic Engineering Manual)

Warning signs are most effective when they alert drivers to a regular occurring danger and drivers react accordingly. Signs that alert drivers to infrequent encounters or possible situations, such as deer crossings, do not have a consistent impact on driver behavior. Furthermore, widespread use or misuse of warning signs reduces their overall effectiveness and tends to breed disrespect for all signs. Studies have shown that the use of static deer crossing warning signs do not reduce the number of deer-vehicle crashes and therefore they are not an effective tool for mitigating such crashes.

For these reasons, ODOT does not install new static deer crossing warning signs and generally does not replace existing ones that have reached the end of their useful life, including sign knockdowns or improvement projects.

1416-1 Driveway Mirrors (From ODOT Traffic Engineering Manual)

Driveway mirrors (usually convex in shape) are sometimes used to help indicate to a driver the presence or absence of a moving or stationary vehicle and/or pedestrian. However, for the following reasons ODOT does not install these devices on ODOT-maintained highways:

It takes some time for drivers to understand and interpret the information provided by these mirrors. A convex shaped mirror results in distortion of the image, speed and distance of any object. The degree of distortion depends on the radius of curvature and size of the convex mirror; the larger the radius of curvature the less distortion and vice versa. The image appears to be smaller, further away and traveling at a slower speed in a mirror with a smaller radius of curvature. A convex mirror with a small radius of curvature will also provide too much detail in a small area which will hamper the motorist’s ability to discriminate detail.
During low light levels, mirrors do not clearly distinguish cars with no lights on. In particular, dark colored vehicles may be difficult to detect in these mirrors in low light conditions such as dawn, dusk or overcast.
These mirrors are fairly expensive, require routine cleaning and are subject to vandalism.

If property owners want to install and maintain one of these mirrors on their own, they should be advised of the concerns mentioned above, and if the mirror will be on the State right-of-way, they will need to get a permit.

Since the burden of responsibility for the location and subsequent safe use of residential driveways rests with the property owner, not ODOT, before installing one of these mirrors, the property owner should consider other alternatives, such as relocating the drive. However, in most instances, the property owner will decide that installing a mirror is the preferred alternative. Therefore, also consider advising a property owner considering installation of a driveway mirror that:

Secure mounting is required to minimize misalignment from high winds, vibrations, etc.
Fairly large (e.g., 3 x 2 foot), flat, rectangular mirrors produce realistic images.
For a mirror to function properly, it may need to be mounted fairly high.
The use of a Plexiglas or metal mirror can minimize damage from vandalism.
More than one mirror may be needed for proper coverage.