LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — After two weeks of treacherous ice-covered roads that left some Lexington neighborhoods virtually impassable, residents are finally seeing relief as warmer temperatures melt the frozen surfaces that have trapped them in their homes.
Pine Meadow Court, a steep cul-de-sac that became more like an ice rink than a road, exemplifies the challenges many neighborhoods faced during the extended freeze. The sound of melting ice now provides welcome relief to residents who have been dealing with dangerous conditions for weeks.
"It's been a sheet of ice, and it's been difficult for people to get up and down the hill and I know at least one person was injured," said neighbor Tom Donkan.
The steep downhill street had been covered in what residents described as three inches of solid ice, making it nearly impossible for cars to navigate safely. Some residents couldn't even access their own driveways.
With temperatures now well above freezing and sunshine helping the thaw, residents are cautiously optimistic about returning to normal.
"Kinda looking forward to it, there's probably going to be a little bit of flooding down here but we're used to that. It'll be nice to not have to walk around on pins and needles afraid you're going to slip and fall," said Donkan.
However, neighbors believe the city's response could have been better prepared for the extended cold snap.
"I'm from Michigan originally and I knew right off the bat they weren't going to make any progress with this. It was too cold for the salt to work and the few days it was warm enough for the salt to work they didn't put any salt out here. And it turned into, literally, three inches of solid ice. There's not much you can do with that," said Donkan.
Looking ahead to future winter weather events, residents suggest the city needs to improve its approach to ice management on neighborhood streets.
"I think they need to get some help with people who deal with this on a regular basis," said Donkan.
As the thaw continues, residents are preparing for potential, negligible flooding but welcome the change from the dangerous icy conditions that have defined the past two weeks.
