SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski this week urged the United States Postal Service to halt plans to downsize the Springfield Processing and Distribution Center and consolidate its operations with the St. Louis facility, citing concerns over delivery delays and job losses.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Budzinski requested that the USPS permanently halt any plans to downsize or consolidate the Springfield facility, located at 2105 E. Cook Street. She emphasized that maintaining the center would protect local postal jobs and prevent further delays.
In a letter addressed to Postmaster General David Steiner, Budzinski highlighted that under the previous Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s “Delivering for America” plan, the Springfield center was targeted for downsizing. She warned that routing mail from Springfield to St. Louis, over 100 miles away, before final delivery would exacerbate existing delays for Central Illinois residents. Budzinski noted that only 73 percent of First-Class three-to-five day mail is currently delivered on time in downstate Illinois.
“Given that across downstate Illinois, just 73 percent of First-Class three-to-five day mail is being delivered on-time, forcing mail from Springfield to travel hundreds of additional miles to another state before reaching its final destination would only create further delivery delays for my constituents across Central Illinois,” Budzinski wrote.
The congresswoman also raised concerns about the capacity of the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center to handle additional mail volume. She referenced an August 2025 report from the USPS Office of Inspector General that cited mail delays in the St. Louis metro area due to structural and management issues.
The City of Springfield’s municipal government also posted information regarding the USPS network consolidation plan, which would convert 58 Processing and Distribution Centers in smaller communities into Local Mail Processing Centers. The post warned that Springfield’s mail and packages would be processed and postmarked in St. Louis, Missouri, under a different postal district, potentially leading to equipment removal, job losses, and increased mail delivery delays.
Residents have been encouraged to provide feedback through a USPS comment portal and to participate in local public meetings on the matter.
Budzinski has been an advocate for improved mail service and has opposed privatization efforts and proposals that could reduce service reliability, particularly for rural communities. Earlier this month, she launched the bipartisan Congressional Postal Service Caucus to address postal service issues in the House of Representatives.
Citizens can also take proactive steps by reaching out to their elected representatives, attending the Local Public Meeting, and providing feedback directly to the USPS through their comment portal at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mpfr-springfield-il...
