Tower Road, located on the back side of WHS was closed on January 23rd, 2023, a secondary “back entry and exit” to WHS. Students and staff parked in the back side of the school found it much easier to leave through the back exit since they were parked there. However, throughout the year there have been complaints from the homeowners living on Tower Road. Homeowners say that there was too much noise and reckless driving occuring. With these complaints, the Watertown Police Department led an investigation and closed the gate and prohibited students from entering or exiting through Tower Road. With the closure of Tower Road, it had increased traffic and caused chaos during dismissal. Bus drivers, parents, teachers, and students are all competing with one another to leave the school. This can cause risk in the parking lot with new young drivers racing to leave the school in order to get to work, sports, or any extracurricular.

The Watertown Police Department stated that “ Numerous vehicles park on Tower Road and Pleasant View Avenue during dismissal times…causing congestion on the narrow residential roadways.” WPD also stated vehicles exiting through tower road at high rates of speed. The Chief of Police explained that an approximate 5 minutes was added to the parking lot being cleared out. Students complained that on most days they hadn’t left school grounds until 2:30, which proves to be more than a 5 minute addition.