Winter Season Information
Roadway snow removal responsibility is given to the Highway Division.
The town is broken up into 15 plow routes averaging about 9 miles each. It takes approximately 3 hours to make a complete round of each route, including intersections and reloading materials, and another five to six hours to clear the roads from curb to curb and at intersections after the snow stops. During snow plow operations, a berm may be left in front of the driveway, which is the responsibility of the resident to clear.
Winter Season Information
Ordinance violators can be fined and towed. In addition, vehicles may not be parked on the street during declared snow emergencies.
Policy on Responsibility for Winter Time Damage to Mailboxes
As a result of normal snow plowing operations, snow cast off the Town snow plows will impact upon mailboxes, posts, hangers, etc.
A properly constructed, maintained and located mailbox will withstand this impact. This is evidenced by the many mailboxes struck by the cast snow thrown off the Town plows every storm that are not damaged. Plastic mailboxes are generally not acceptable as they become brittle at low temperatures.
On occasion, a Town plow, in attempting to push the snow back to the edge of the pavement/curb, will physically strike a properly constructed mailbox, leaving obvious signs of contact. In such a case, the Town will assume the responsibility for replacing the damaged portion of the mailbox fixture. The Department of Public Works will replace damaged mailboxes and posts with standard ones at a maximum cost of seventy-five dollars ($75.00).
However, if a mailbox fixture is damaged, but does not show obvious signs of contact, then it was not physically struck by the Town plow, but rather by the cast off snow. If a mailbox fixture was damaged by cast off snow, then it was either improperly located, constructed and/or maintained and the Town has no responsibility for its replacement. The Town may, at the sole discretion of the Town, perform temporary repairs until such time as the property owner can permanently repair or replace it.
Determination of how the mailbox fixture was damaged will be made by the Town.
For decorative mailboxes, or those with replacement costs in excess of $75.00, determined to have been damaged by direct contact with the plow, the resident may file a claim with the Town Clerk for potential reimbursement from the Town’s insurance carrier, as determined by the carrier. Accurate documentation of expenses must be made to the Town Clerk.
If you have questions concerning this policy, you may contact:
Robert Grandpre – Highway Department Superintendent
Phone: 860-945-5244 Fax: 860-945-0457 Email: grandpre@watertownct.org
Approved by TC 2/22/2022
Here are some helpful guidelines to follow when placing your mailbox:
Residents should ensure that the mailbox does not overhang the curb line, the box is firmly attached to the post and the post itself is in good condition and not rotting or cracked. 
For mailbox damage caused on state-owned roads, residents should contact the Connecticut Department of Transportation office at 203-264-5383.
The following are considered state roads:
- Route 6 (Thomaston-Woodbury)
- Route 73 (Waterbury-Watertown)
- Route 63 (Middlebury-Morris)
- Route 855 (Main Street, Watertown - 262 Buckingham)
- Route 262 (Frost Bridge Road to Buckingham down to Route 6)
- Route 132 (Route 63 - Bethlehem)
- Route 838 (Veteran's Hill)
The owner or occupant of any premises that has a sidewalk or fire hydrant in front of it is responsible for clearing the sidewalk or fire hydrant within 24 hours after the precipitation ends.
If possible, hydrants should be cleared 5 feet on each side to give the Fire Department the quickest and best access. Snow and ice, that is removed may not be blown or left on the road or sidewalk as this can create a safety hazard.
Violators are subject to fines from the Police Department. The Parks Department is responsible for snow removal on municipally maintained sidewalks.
The Town of Watertown does NOT maintain a bare pavement policy during snowstorms. It will, as practicable, have roads wet and bare, within 24 hrs after the finish of the storm.
Roads will generally not be plowed if there is less than (2”) two inches of frozen precipitation accumulated on the roadway.
Town roads will be plowed and sanded in the following order of importance;
1) Emergency locations (Fire, Ambulance, Accident locations)
2) School Bus Routes (Type I Roads)
3) Through Roads (Type II Roads)
4) Cul-de-sacs/Other Sites (Type III Roads)
Sand/salt mixture is available for use by Watertown residents on their residential properties. This material is intended for residential use by homeowners only. Residents are requested to limit themselves to two 5-gallon buckets at a time while supplies last, at the following locations:
- Watertown Senior Center, Falls Avenue, Oakville
- Watertown Maintenance Facility, Thomaston Road (Route 6), Watertown
- Mosgrove Field Parking Lot, Davis Street, Oakville adjacent to the Oakville Library
- Outside of Watertown Highway Garage, 91 Burton Street, Watertown