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The United States Postal Service (USPS) will temporarily seal all blue sidewalk collection mailboxes along a 20-block stretch of Fifth Avenue this weekend starting Saturday, September 12.
The closures are a standard safety and security measure ahead of the annual New York Road Runners (NYRR) 5th Avenue Mile, scheduled for Sunday, September 13. The highly anticipated race will bring an estimated 8,600 runners and thousands of spectators to the immediate area.
Here is everything you need to know about the temporary service disruption and where to drop your mail instead.
Which NYC mailboxes are affected?
According to an official USPS advisory, all blue US Mail Collection Boxes will be inaccessible at the following locations:
Both sides of 5th Avenue, spanning between East 59th Street and East 82nd Street
When does the shutdown begin and end?
Closures Begin: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Mailboxes Reopen: Monday, September 14, 2026
Unsplash / Tareq Ismail
Why is the USPS sealing the boxes?
It’s standard protocol for city and postal officials to seal collection boxes prior to major, densely populated public events in New York City.
Similar security precautions were recently taken in June for the National Puerto Rican Day Parade and in May for the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Parade.
Where to drop your mail off this weekend
If you live or work on the Upper East Side or Midtown and need to deposit mail over the weekend, you will need to walk outside of the affected 5th Avenue zone.
To find the closest unsealed blue box or an open Post Office lobby, customers are advised to use the Quick Tools locator on USPS.com. Simply enter your zip code and use the dropdown menu to filter by “Collection Boxes” or “Post Offices” to find secure, alternative deposit locations in your immediate area.