Roadwork near West Hatch Road and Parkdale Drive in unincorporated Modesto has caused months of inconsistent mail delivery, leaving residents frustrated and waiting hours at the post office.
MODESTO, Calif. —
Residents near West Hatch Road and Parkdale Drive in Modesto say ongoing roadwork has disrupted mail delivery for months, forcing them to pick up their mail at the post office.
The Stanislaus County Urban Pocket Project is installing sidewalks, drainage, streetlights and other infrastructure improvements. While residents appreciate the upgrades, they are frustrated by the impact on their mail service.
“It’s kind of concerning because our mail-in ballots, our proposition information ballots, and booklets are coming to us late, if at all,” said Valerie Hill, an impacted resident.
Heather Bird, another resident, shared her concerns. “We don’t have our license in the mail, we are waiting on IRS stuff, and suddenly they’ve lost half of my mail,” she said.
USPS said mail delivery is always attempted, but if there is no mailbox or a safe way to access it, the mail is stored at the post office.
Residents say they have had to wait hours in person at the Paradise Road Post Office to retrieve their mail.
“It’s really frustrating. I struggle so hard with, I work 10-hour shifts, then I have to come here and sit for 2 hours on top of everything else, being a mom, like I don’t have time for this,” Bird said.
USPS said it has increased staffing at the post office to meet the higher demand. Stanislaus County said it hopes to install a community mailbox to make deliveries more accessible to drivers, an idea USPS said it would support.
For now, USPS said residents who cannot have their mail delivered to their homes will need to pick it up at the post office.
Stanislaus County estimates the roadwork project will be completed by December of this year.
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