LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The process of digging Lexington out of this winter storm is officially underway, but residents will need to be patient as crews work through challenging conditions.
"I know folks want clear roads, and to get out and about, but they're going to have to give us a little more time to continue working," said Rob Allen, the city's Director of Streets and Roads.
Allen said it normally takes about 48 hours after precipitation ends to get to all the roads in town.
The weekend storm dumped 5.5 inches of snow in Lexington, far less than what the original models were showing. However, with a slight increase in temperatures, the city ended up with a layer of ice thanks to freezing rain, and that's where the real problem lies.
"It's much easier to move snow around than it is to remove and melt ice," Allen explained.
The city has added more contractors and more chemical additive for salt, which works at negative temperatures. Crews are also having to physically break up ice and haul it to other areas of the city.
Special attention is being given to the downtown area parking spaces and ramps for those who need them to get around safely.
"You asked about lessons we've learned, that was one of them," Allen said of the need to clear the downtown area more efficiently.
Other lessons were learned from last January's storm, which was incredibly similar to what the city just experienced. Last year, snow was followed by ice and then more snow and bitter cold came in behind it and settled in for weeks.
"The contractors hired by the city specifically to do this work have been invaluable, as have the volunteers from within the government," Allen said.
Allen said if residents are able to safely do so, it would be a good idea to clear a 6-10 foot area at the foot of driveways, while moving all of it to the left side. This prevents being left with a mountain of snow and ice at the bottom of the driveway when road crews arrive.
"We try not to do that, but even when we angle the plow away it throws some extra snow in there," he explained.
