In a significant development impacting Springfield and
neighboring communities, the United States Postal Service has announced a
network consolidation plan that will have far-reaching effects. As part of this
plan, 58 Processing and Distribution Centers in smaller communities are slated
to be converted to Local Mail Processing Centers.
There is a proposed decision to redirect Springfield’s packages and unprocessed mail volumes to the St. Louis, Missouri PDC, located
over 100 miles away. This means that Springfield’s mail and packages will be
processed and postmarked in another state, under a different Postal District.
The potential ramifications include the removal of Springfield’s
processing equipment, job losses within the community and a foreseeable
increase in delays to mail delivery.
A public meeting has been scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday,
March 26, at the Hilton Garden Inn at 3100 S. Dirksen Parkway. This gathering
presents an opportunity for community members to express their opinions
regarding the future of Springfield’s postal mail service.
Citizens can also provide feedback directly to the USPS
through their comment portal: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mpfr-springfield-il?fbclid=IwAR1eQ1cXCUcC1b604YDLRezUEWYQaXd7ClbqNVMpq_ZOnPwG0g1rRqG8d5I
This article appears in March 2024.