LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The last update on Lexington’s city ordinance requiring residents to shovel their sidewalks came on Wednesday, Jan. 28, as Mayor Linda Gorton said it’s been delayed until weather conditions improve. With temperatures staying below freezing, even professionals are having trouble clearing sidewalks.
“It's slowed us down quite a bit,” said Adam Martin, owner of Eden’s Landscape.
“When I first came out here it was just like a big sheet of ice,” he said. “You're thinking you're just walking onto the concrete and it's maybe one inch thick. I get my hammers and put it down and half the thing goes down. It's well over eight inches of ice.”
The prolonged cold hasn't helped, and many sidewalks in Lexington are still covered in ice. With all these slip hazards, do Lexingtonians still have a responsibility to clear off their sidewalks?
“Natural accumulations occur and there's not an absolute responsibility to clear those, but it depends on the situation and the circumstances,” said Ben Coleman, Hughes & Coleman partner and owner.
Some places, including Lexington, do have ordinances for snow removal. The chilly conditions are still delayed.
“Without knowing exactly what everyone's supposed to do, I think it's just important that everyone takes time to, pay attention to where they're going to keep everyone safe,” Coleman said.
One of the biggest things to note for residents is if you are going to shovel your sidewalk, you better do it right the first time.
“If you undertake a duty to clear the sidewalk, remove snow, you also are undertaking a duty to do that correctly,” shared Coleman. “For example, removing the top layer of snow and leaving the bottom layer of ice actually creates a more dangerous condition that is less likely to be seen and that can give rise to liability.”
So, what’s the best way to try and remove ice? Martin has some thoughts.
“Salt it up, maybe let it do its job, heavy salt it and let the salt sit on it for a little while to mush it up and then go out there and try to shovel it out.”
Whether you’re clearing away the cold or just trying to get through it, make sure your actions are creating a safer condition.
