Jackson, NJ – Anyone who has ever been to the Jackson Township U.S. Post Office on Bennetts Mills Road knows the place is a nightmare, especially after the federal agency closed the town’s other post office many years ago.
With the rise in population in Jackson, people often cite their visit to the Jackson post office as not-so-pleasant experience…and it’s getting worse.
Now, a coalition of elected officials is urging the U.S. Postal Service to take immediate action to address longstanding service problems at the Jackson Township Post Office, including considering the construction of a second full-service postal facility to meet the needs of one of New Jersey’s fastest-growing communities.
They say the location is now a public safety risk.
Jackson is expected to hit 200,000 residents within 9 years, according to county officials. Things are going to get worse.
In an August 7 letter to Postmaster General David Steiner, Congressman Chris Smith, State Senator Owen Henry, Assemblymen Alex Sauickie and Robert Clifton, and Interim Mayor Jennifer Kuhn requested a formal meeting with USPS leadership to discuss solutions to what they describe as an ongoing postal service crisis.
The officials said residents have repeatedly voiced concerns about long wait times, overcrowding, inadequate parking, traffic congestion and staffing shortages at the Bennetts Mills Road post office.
“Our residents and businesses have repeatedly expressed grave concern over deteriorating service conditions, unsafe access, excessive wait times, and the inability of the current postal facility to adequately serve its residents,” the delegation wrote. “As their elected representatives, we have a responsibility to ensure their concerns are heard and addressed.”
Congressman, lawmakers say growth has overwhelmed postal system
The letter notes Jackson Township has experienced decades of rapid growth, with its population increasing from about 25,600 residents in 1980 to nearly 61,000 today. Officials argue the township’s postal infrastructure has not kept pace with that expansion.
In fact, it has shrunk. The Cassville Postal Station at 520 West Veterans Highway in Jackson, New Jersey, was suspended in December 2012 after its lease expired and could not be renewed. Operations were officially moved to the main Jackson Post Office at 915 Bennetts Mills Road.
That building now operates as a pet crematorium and funeral home.
“The postal infrastructure serving our community has not kept pace with the growth and needs of your postal customers,” the officials wrote.
The facility at 915 Bennetts Mills Road now experiences routine overcrowding, lengthy customer waits, insufficient parking and traffic backups that extend onto Bennetts Mills Road.
The officials said the situation has evolved beyond customer inconvenience.
“This is no longer simply an issue of customer convenience; it is a matter of public safety and government responsibility,” the letter states.
Officials seek second post office and facility expansion
Among the recommendations, the officials urged USPS to evaluate opening a second full-service post office in Jackson Township, modernizing and expanding the existing Bennetts Mills Road facility, and implementing immediate operational improvements to staffing and customer service.
The letter also points out that Jackson once had two postal facilities. The Cassville Post Office, located on West Veterans Highway, closed in 2012 because of lease-related issues, leaving the township dependent on a single location.
The local officials argue that today’s population and commercial growth far exceed what the remaining facility was designed to handle…and it definitely will not acccomodate the anticipated growth level of 200,000 residents, even as the need for postal services declines.
“We strongly believe the time has come for decisive action,” the delegation wrote, specifically requesting USPS evaluate establishing “a second full-service postal facility within Jackson Township,” while also expanding parking, improving traffic flow, increasing staffing and modernizing the existing location.
Interim Mayor Jennifer Kuhn said she has visited the Bennetts Mills Road facility and witnessed traffic congestion and safety concerns firsthand. However, the request is presented as a joint effort led by the township’s congressional, state and municipal delegation.
The local officials are aksing USPS leadership to meet with them “at your earliest convenience” to discuss both immediate and long-term solutions, stating they are prepared to work collaboratively with the Postal Service to improve safety, expand access and restore service for Jackson residents.
