ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —
For nearly nine months, residents of an Albuquerque neighborhood have traveled up to an hour to pick up their mail.
That’s because the neighborhood’s shared mailbox was damaged in March and was possibly run over by a car.
Despite repeated requests, the United States Postal Service has yet to replace the mailbox, citing compliance issues with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
According to Hoke, the Postal Service never provided clear instructions or an estimated timeline for a replacement, leaving residents in limbo.
“At the six-month mark, our frustrations peaked, and I reached out to every member of the United States New Mexico congressional delegation,” Hoke said.
In response, the Postal Service sent a letter explaining that it was “unable to replace the boxes because the slab they are currently affixed to does not meet requirements for the Americans with Disabilities Act.” The letter also said the Postal Service collaborating with the city to resolve the issue.
“You can see the pad. There’s no damage to the pad,” Hoke said. “(They could) simply put a new box over these studs, put some anti-tamper bolts on it, and you’re good to go,” Hoke said while pointing where the mailbox used to be.