Majesty Columns and Safety Requirements

Our Majesty Faux Columns™ meet all the safety requirements regarding installation of various structures by the roadside.

19A NCAC 02E .0404
Highway Obstructions Interfering with Traffic/Maintenance

1. Highway obstructions include driveway headwalls, fences, rural mailboxes, newspaper delivery boxes and other roadside obstructions interfering with traffic or maintenance.
2. It shall be unlawful to place any highway obstruction, including a driveway headwall, fence, rural mailbox,
   newspaper delivery box or other roadside obstruction, so as to interfere with the traffic or maintenance of the roads and highways of the state highway system.
3. If the department determines, that any highway obstruction, including a driveway headwall, fence, rural mailbox, newspaper delivery box, its supports or other roadside obstruction, constitutes an unreasonable roadside collision hazard, the highway obstruction shall be removed by the person responsible for placing the obstruction within the right of way within 30 days of receipt of a written notice from the department to the person responsible for placing the obstruction within the right of way.
4. Only mailboxes or newspaper delivery boxes with non-rigid type posts, such as a 4" x 4" wooden or a small
   diameter metal type, are permitted on road additions made to the state highway system after May 3, 1990. The location within the right of way of an addition to the system of any brick columns, mailboxes or newspaper delivery boxes on rigid stands such as block, stone, or any other type determined to be a traffic hazard is prohibited.
5. The failure of the person responsible for placing the unlawful obstruction within the right of way, to remove the obstruction within 30 days after written notice by the Department of Transportation shall constitute a misdemeanor. Failure to remove or make safe any mailbox or newspaper delivery box, its supports or any other obstruction within the specified 30 days of this Rule shall be cause for the Department's Division Engineer to take action to remove the unacceptable mailbox or newspaper delivery box, its supports or other obstruction installation and also bill the responsible party for the expense of removal if appropriate.

History Note: Authority G.S. 136-18(5); 136-90; 136-93; 143B-350(f)(13);
Eff. July 1, 1978;
Amended Eff. November 1, 1993; October 1, 1991.

MN-45
Mailboxes

Contact U.S. Postal Service local postmaster for current regulations for the installation of mailboxes.

The Joint Secondary Roads/Maintenance and Equipment Committee voted in May of 1990 to emphasize that no mailbox structures be allowed to exist on new road additions. Prior to that date, information was not being specifically given to developers about prohibition of mailbox structures.

The Secondary Roads Subdivision Manual dictates "a right of way free of charge and clear of all encumbrances."

Rural mail boxes should be placed on the right side of the road with the post being erected approximately one (1) foot off the shoulder point, giving the mail carrier the full use of the roadway shoulder.

It is the property owner’s or customer’s responsibility to remove obstructions from around the mailbox, including but not limited to such items as vehicles, trash and snow.

The Division of Highways will only allow non-rigid or break away type posts such as a 4" x 4" wooden or small diameter metal pipes on new road additions planned after May 3, 1990. Brick columns or mailboxes on rigid stands such as block, stone or any other type believed to be a traffic hazard will not be allowed within the right of way.

Review the AASHTO Guide for Erecting Mailboxes on Highways at the following links:

http://www.doh.dot.state.nc.us/preconstruct/highway/dsn_srvc/value/manuals/ or
http://www.transportation.org/aashto/home.nsf/FrontPage (AASHTO web page).
G.S. 136-18(5); 90; 93 (Obstructing Highways)
19A NCAC 02E 0404 (Highway Obstructions)
MISC19900514.pdf (Brick Column Mailboxes on New Road Additions)
MISC19910410.pdf (Ordinance Relating to Highway Obstructions)
MISC19960321.pdf (Mailbox Obstructions - SRO)
MISC19911216a.pdf (Road Additions with Mailbox Structures from Jack Murdock)
MISC19990721.pdf (Attorney General, Form letter re/ brick mailbox)
Refer to GO-4, Rural Mailboxes Interfering with Traffic or Maintenance, Chapter 2 of this
manual.