LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Mayor Linda Gorton is seeking bids from contractors who can provide emergency snow and ice removal services after Winter Storm Fern paralyzed city streets for nearly two weeks.
City officials reported that Winter Storm Fern's most serious impact stretched from Jan. 24 to Feb. 3. An extended period of bitter cold kept air and ground temperatures extremely low, rendering rock salt largely ineffective.
It is estimated that salt was ineffective 47% of the time — temperatures must be above 15 degrees for salt to work. Between 15 and 20 degrees, an additional 21% of the time, the rock salt provided only sluggish melting, according to officials.
"We're looking for help when we have weather conditions that we do not have the tools to handle – like the ice that paralyzed our streets for two weeks, thanks to an extended period of below freezing temperatures," Gorton said.
The city is seeking a contractor equipped with heavy construction equipment capable of clearing and disposing of ice, snow, and other materials. The contractor could also be called in following other types of disasters, such as clearing debris after a tornado.
"I think anyone who tried to clear the ice off their sidewalks got an indication of what we were facing on the roads. Clearing ice like this takes heavy construction equipment, and a lot of it," Gorton said.
While the new contract is being finalized, the city has secured commitments from a national and regional emergency snow removal company to provide resources if needed before the new contract is awarded.
A military-style After Action Review of the city's response to the storm got underway last week, officials noted.
"We need to examine what went right and what went wrong," Gorton said.
Last year, Gorton and the Urban County Council invested an additional $3.5 million in equipment and increased the budget for snow removal following a similar ice storm.
"We thought the steps we were taking would give us what we needed in another storm," Gorton said. "However, while we were prepared for more snow, we know now that we were still not adequately prepared for ice at the level we just experienced."
Gorton has asked residents — particularly those who have lived in regions of the country where ice storms are more common — to email ideas for combating ice to mayor@lexingtonky.gov. The city has already heard from about 50 residents.
The request for proposals will be advertised starting Monday. Companies have until March 10 to submit a bid.
