Snorkel Box Facilitates Mailing Letters

By Carla M. Collado
Staff Writer

As if parking in Belmont Shore weren’t a challenge in itself, who wants to have to park just to drop off a letter at the post office?

After seeing how dangerous it is for people to park temporarily in front of the Belmont Shore post office at Second Street and Granada Avenue to run in and drop off mail, local activist Justin Rudd decided to do something about it.

“Most of these people just park in the crosswalk illegally,” Rudd said. “I was thinking, let’s make it safe.”

As a result of his efforts and collaboration with Third District Councilman Gary DeLong’s office, a new snorkel mailbox will be installed no later than today (Thursday) at 5475 E. Second St. in Naples, near Siena Drive.

Rudd’s original request a few years ago to have one placed in the alley behind the post office at Second Street and Granada Avenue wasn’t approved for safety reasons, according to Debra Heimaster, supervisor of Long Beach’s special delivery unit.

The space (red zone) in front of the mailbox must be large enough for the postal service trucks to fit into when making pick-ups, Heimaster explained. There just isn’t enough space at the location, and the city didn’t want to lose a parking space to make room, she added.

The new snorkel mailbox — one that juts out into the street so that people can drive right up to it — will have a collection time of 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Rudd said the late pickup time makes it more convenient for people.

“It’s going to help a lot of people, I think,” Rudd said, pointing out people who have a hard time getting out of their cars, like the elderly. “My goal here is to have more of these snorkel boxes, to make it easier for everybody. You shouldn’t have to feed the meter to drop a letter off.”

Heimaster said the new snorkel mailbox also is unique, since most snorkel boxes are placed in front of post office stations, and this one isn’t.

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