Residents frustrated over mailbox damage say construction, speeding drivers are to blame

AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - Many complaints have come in about mailboxes being destroyed and damaged in a North Austin neighborhood. Residents say speeding drivers and construction are to blame.

Donna Birch did a double take when she found that her community mailbox post had been knocked down. She lives near of Java Drive off Burnett Road in North Austin and says the mailbox has been on the floor for a few days. 

"It's ridiculous that they're still laying down here. It's been like that for a few days," said Birch. 

Residents in the neighborhood say it happened after a construction driver backed into it. 

On Tuesday, a note was left on the mailbox informing residents that they can pick up their mail at the post office. Luckily for Birch her mailbox is still standing but says some of her neighbors weren't so lucky. "It's a big inconvenience especially if you work 7 to 5, and by the time you get off they're not even open," said Birch. 

This isn't the first time this neighborhood has dealt mailbox damage.

Last month, and a little less than a mile up the street on Cadoz Drive, residents say a woman crashed into their community mailboxes. This time the mailboxes sat mangled for weeks…until just recently when residents say they've been replaced and were installed further away from the curb. 

Resident who live in the area say construction and new developments in the area are to blame and say it's attracting more traffic to the area. One resident who didn't want to be named says drivers constantly run stop signs in the area. 

Birch says she's hopeful that this is the last time mailboxes in her neighborhood take a beating. "You can actually go to jail for defacing federal mail property, and if you hit a mailbox you should let someone know," said Birch. If you find yourself in a similar situation you can report a damaged mailbox to postal inspectors or to your postmaster.