Flooding closes some Central Kentucky roads. Lexington hopes evacuations are over
There was concern that flooding from the Kentucky River could force additional Lexington residents to evacuate their homes this week, but the fire department was “encouraged” by new, dry forecasts.
Meanwhile, a dozen roads in Central Kentucky, including one in Fayette County, were closed Tuesday afternoon because of persistent high water, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
The Lexington Fire Department evacuated several homes on Beach Road Monday because there was 4 to 5 feet of water surrounding the houses, according to Battalion Chief Jordan Saas.
A handful of other residents decided to shelter in place instead of evacuate, Saas said. Those residents had homes on stilts, and they felt their properties could hold up without trouble, according to Pat Dugger, the director of Lexington Emergency Management.
The residents who evacuated found places to go, Dugger said, either staying with family members or finding hotel rooms.
The fire department previously told other residents near the river to be prepared to evacuate. But the outlook was a little more positive Tuesday.
“We are monitoring the situation,” Saas said. “We are encouraged by the forecast that shows conditions that will allow our area to dry out some. We are prepared to evacuate residents as needed.”
There weren’t any additional evacuations conducted by the fire department Monday night or Tuesday morning, Saas said. But the river wasn’t expected to crest until late Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, Dugger said. The city already has established evacuation plans that would be put to use if more need to leave their homes this week.
“If it’s just a few (families evacuating), then the Red Cross would put them up at a hotel, and if it’s a lot of them, then we would open a shelter,” Dugger said.
Beach Road in Fayette County remained open Tuesday afternoon, according to District 7 of the state Transportation Cabinet, which covers Central Kentucky. Also closed was Old Richmond Road between mile points 0 and 0.517, near the Fayette-Madison County line.
Flooding causes road closures in other Central Kentucky counties
High water closed portions of several roads in multiple counties.
- In Anderson County, one side of Tyrone Pike was closed at mile point 0.431 near Cedar Brook Bridge because of water over the road.
- In Bourbon County, North Middletown Road was closed between mile points 10.36 and 14.25.
- In Clark, Mina Station Road was closed between mile points 0 and 2, and Athens Boonesboro Road was closed between mile points 4 and 5.
- Leavell Ridge Road was closed in Garrard County from mile point 2.54 to 2.552.
- Redhouse Road was closed in Madison County between mile points 10.5 and 10.7, and Crooksville Road was closed at mile point 4.402. Jacks Creek Road was closed at mile 9.262, near the bridge at the intersection of Jacks Creek Road and Tates Creek Road. Water was over open portions of Crooksville, Tates Creek and Union City roads.
- Nest Egg Road in Montgomery County was closed at mile point 7.44 near the Clark County line due to a road slide, according to the Transportation Cabinet.
- Josephine Road was closed in two places in Scott County.
“Closures (and openings) can occur at different times for routes due to previous rainstorms,” the transportation cabinet said in a news release Tuesday. “Water recedes for areas at varied times depending on factors such as terrain, road location and amount of rainfall received.”
Herald-Leader reporter Karla Ward contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 2, 2021 at 2:22 PM.