LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Lexington community is raising urgent concerns about Delong Road's safety record as winter weather approaches, with residents calling for immediate action following dozens of crashes in the past month.
At least 37 drivers have crashed on the rural road since January 2025, according to the state's crash information site. The troubling pattern has left residents like Renee Nimtz frustrated and demanding answers.
"How many deadly accidents does it take until they care?" Nimtz said.
Nimtz says she and her neighbors have become first responders by default, often arriving at crash scenes before emergency services.
"We're the ones that are first on scene, usually doing first aid, doing CPR, trying to make sure people are OK. We're pulling people out of ditches," Nimtz said.
She has identified three particularly dangerous spots along the winding road: in front of Keshlyn Kennels, just past Bridle Ridge Lane, and near East Hickman Creek. The road's curves make it easy for drivers to lose control, especially when they exceed the 35 miles per hour speed limit.
"We hear and we almost know by the sound, like okay, this was here," Nimtz said, describing how familiar the crashes have become.
Nimtz believes speed bumps could help slow traffic, but county officials disagree with that approach.
"Speed bumps are a little bit too abrasive," said Andrew Grunwald, with the city's environmental quality and public works department.
A few years ago, the county installed gravel along 1,200 feet of Delong Road in front of the kennel at a cost of $82,000. However, Grunwald says expanding similar safety measures across the entire 5.5-mile road would be financially challenging.
"DeLong Road is about five and a half miles long. So if you break down the map, that works out about $1.8 million," Grunwald said. "Keep in mind we only get about $800,000 every year for repaving and fixing problems in the county. So that's two years of the county budget."
Instead, Grunwald says the county is focusing resources on other projects.
But for Nimtz, the lack of comprehensive action after more than a decade of crashes is unacceptable.
"I've lived in different cities, and if there is a repeated accident in the same spot, the city comes out and makes an adjustment and makes a change, and it's almost shocking that in over a decade, nothing, nothing but a little bit of gravel," she said.
