Postal Service closing Carol Stream district office

The U.S. Postal Service will eliminate 134 positions as it shutters its Northern Illinois District Office in Carol Stream, one of seven district office closures across the country in an effort to save about $750 million a year.

Suburban mail, however, still will be processed out of the massive Carol Stream processing facility and the closing will not affect mail service and delivery times, said Sean Hargadon, postal service spokesman.

“We're not shutting any plants down,” Hargadon said. “This change that is coming will be seamless to the customer.”

The Carol Stream post office will remain open, he added.

The postal service lost $8.5 billion last year as more people pay bills electronically or via smart phone, and people use e-mail and text to communicate instead of letters.

Hargadon said the 134 employees will be offered early retirement or may apply for other positions within the postal service.

The administrative footprint for the Northern Illinois District will be split between administrative offices in Bedford Park and Lakeland, Wis.