​With the winter season's arrival in the northwest region, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is reminding residents of steps they can take to secure their mailboxes and properly maintain driveway entry points.

"As soon as the snow falls, we hear concerns about mailboxes along the roadway and snow piling up in driveways. Our plow truck drivers and mechanics work around the clock to provide safe and passable roadways for area residents and commuters. We ask property owners to be mindful of their responsibilities when it comes to mailboxes in the right-of-way and removing snow around driveways," said Doug Schofield, Assistant District 1 Executive – Maintenance.

PennDOT allows property owners to place mailboxes within the limits of the legal right-of-way along state owned roadways to accommodate the U.S. Postal Service's need to deliver and receive the mail as well as for the convenience to their customers. Residents should remember that mailboxes located in the legal right-of-way are the responsibility of the property owner to maintain and repair.

Here are some tips for securing mailboxes during the winter:

• Ensure the mailbox has a strong support.

• Construct a cantilever mailbox support that will "swing" a mailbox out of harm's way.

• Clear snow from in front and on the sides of the mailbox, disposing of it properly, not on the roadway.

• Use reflective tape or other material to make the mailbox easier to see during storms or dark hours.
  

PennDOT also urges residents to not shovel snow onto state roads as this can increase the potential for crashes, and property owners can be held liable and/or face fines. State law requires citizens to use and maintain their property in ways that avoid creating hazardous road conditions for others, including not obstructing highway lanes and drainage facilities with snow and ice.

Whenever clearing driveway entry points, PennDOT recommends moving show to the right side of the driveway and clear a section prior to the driveway to lessen the amount of snow a plow might push unto the driveway. A diagram of the recommended snow removal is available online at www.penndot.pa.gov/winter.

Property owners should also avoid creating large piles at entrances as high accumulations of snow can obstruct the vision of motorists, posing a safety hazard.

Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District1.

Information about infrastructure in District 1, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D1Results. Find PennDOT's planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.

Follow PennDOT's northwest region on Twitter or Facebook.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jill Harry, 814-678-5035

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