Postal Service to close south Fort Smith station

The U.S. Postal Service has decided to close its South Fort Smith Station on South 32nd St., according to this report from KFSM 5 News.

"Given the extraordinary decline in mail volume, a decline of nearly 26 billion pieces this past year alone, we must take action to reduce the size of our retail and delivery network," David Camp, Arkansas District Manager, said in a release from the USPS. "By consolidating, streamlining and adjusting our operations, the Postal Service becomes a more efficient and effective organization."

The office will not close before Nov. 20, 2010, and affected postal employees will be reassigned in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements and established repositioning processes.

"Local mail delivery will not be affected by this move. Full retail services will still be available in neighboring offices and our customers will continue to receive the same excellent service they always have," Camp said.

Postal stations still open in the immediate Fort Smith area are:
Fianna Hills Station, 2712 Market Trace
Midland Station, 3100 Wirsing Ave.
Ft. Smith GMF, 3318 S. 74th St.
Downtown Station, 1020 Garrison Ave.
Barling Station, 609 Fort St.
Rogers Avenue Station, 3400 Rogers Ave.

The closure stems from a review process which began last summer and examined approximately 3,300 stations and branches in urban and suburban areas across the country. The study focused on facilities in relative close proximity to one another to determine where consolidations might be feasible, while maintaining customer access to postal services.