Students and staff at OH have mixed feelings after Dunkin’ Donuts opened along Route 71 near the school’s campus. While the new drive-thru offers a convenient morning stop, several students say it has added confusion and congestion to an already busy area.
OH sophomore Layla Rafeh said the location has quickly become part of her weekly routine, but not without drawbacks.
“Honestly, it can be good, but it’s also really terrible during traffic,” Rafeh said. “Everyone’s trying to get to school, and a bunch of the bus routes have changed, so it’s even worse. It’s just like a whole hassle.”
Rafeh said she visits every Tuesday with her friend to spend time together before school. However, she believes the new coffee stop may shift how students travel in the morning.
“Probably, yeah,” she said when asked if it would change students’ routes. “It’s just really hard to get into the Dunkin’ if you’re going to school, depending on where you live.”
OH junior Nathan Persico said he has already noticed heavier traffic near the school since the store opened.
“Absolutely,” Persico said simply. “It already slows it down. Kind of pisses me off that it makes me [late].”
He explained that congestion appears worse in the morning, especially when officers temporarily close portions of the road to manage student drop-off.
“It’s probably worse when the cops close the road,” Persico said. “There’s definitely more traffic now that it’s open.”
OH Library Resource Center Director Drew Mundsinger also expressed concerns about the store’s placement and design.
“It doesn’t seem like it’s the most convenient spot to go get a coffee because you can only turn in two ways,” Mundsinger said. “I think that causes confusion and then possible accidents.”
He noted that cross-traffic often has limited access, which may increase risks at the intersection of Plainfield Road and Route 71.
“I worry about Plainfield Road and Route 71 getting backed up if there’s a lot of cars in there, and then the potential for crashes are there,” Mundsinger said.
According to Mundsinger, there have already been two minor accidents reported near the location since it opened about a month ago.
“For just opening up like a month ago and having two accidents already, I think — make of it what you want — but I still think the design is not the greatest,” he said.
While he has not personally visited the drive-thru-only location, Munsinger said the traffic alone has changed his routine.
“It definitely makes me not want to use that way to go to school every morning,” he said. “I go into the back because I just don’t want to deal with the traffic.”
Although the new Dunkin’ provides convenience and a social gathering spot for some students, concerns about congestion, safety, and road design continue to spark debate.
As morning traffic patterns adjust, the long-term impact of the drive-thru’s location remains to be seen.
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