As a result of a study conducted last year, the U.S. Postal Service has made the decision to consolidate the Portland Post Office’s Solomon Station at 620 SW Main St., Suite 101, with Portland’s University Station at 1505 SW 6th Ave., effective close of business on Friday, Jan. 28, 2011.

“Given the recent declines in mail volume experienced by the Postal Service — 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,” said Portland Postmaster Shawneen Betha. “By consolidating, streamlining and adjusting our operations, the Postal Service becomes a more efficient and effective organization.”

University Station’s has full retail services available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, Betha said.  An Automated Postal Center kiosk is also available from 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. weekdays and 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays, providing convenient access to mail packages or purchase stamps using a credit or debit card, she noted.

“Local mail delivery will not be affected by this change,” Betha noted. “Full retail services will still be available and our customers will continue to receive the same excellent service they always have,” Betha said.

Postal employees affected by the move will be reassigned in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements and established repositioning processes.

Solomon customers wishing to conduct postal business at a retail location in the area can continue to do so at one of 22 Post Office locations in the Portland area, including University Station just four blocks away, as well as nine Contract Postal Unit locations inside other businesses throughout the city. Finding directions to USPS services is as easy as a click of the “Locate a Post Office” link at www.usps.com or calling 1-800-ASK-USPS.

Customers can also choose to skip the trip to the Post Office altogether and purchase stamps and shipping postage-paid labels online using the Postal Service’s website, usps.com. Customers can also request free package pickup at the website. The Postal Service will pick up packages during regular mail delivery the next business day – and, unlike other shipping companies, there is no fee for this service. Postage stamps can also be purchased at 1-800-STAMP-24.

The only provider of delivery service to every home and business address in the country, the Postal Service is committed to providing ready access to reliable, secure, affordable postal products and services.  America’s national mail system receives no tax subsidy for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no direct support from taxpayers. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 28th in the 2009 Fortune 500.