U.S.P.S to close 150 Connecticut offices

HARTFORD, Conn., June 11 (UPI) -- The U.S. Postal Service in Connecticut said was exploring a variety of factors to decide which of up to 150 branch offices it would close in the fall.

Managers will look at location, rent, carrier routes and proximity to other offices as it decides which post offices to close to stay competitive, The Hartford Courant reported Thursday.

"We have a little too much building right now to serve our customers effectively, Connecticut Postal Service spokeswoman Maureen Marion said.

Nationally, the volume of mail the postal service handles peaked in 2006. But, the number of items dropped from 204 billion to 203 billion in 2008 due in a large part to competition from the Internet.

The postal service estimated 2009 would see a drop of 30 billion items handled, a 14 percent decline, the newspaper said.

While some residents are bemoaning the loss of the local post offices, Marion said the postal service has to adapt to changing times.

"If we don't change, we run a great risk," she said.