How are the roads in Central Kentucky? Getting better all the time, officials say.
Road conditions keep getting better after Thursday’s major snowfall, but Central Kentucky motorists were warned to drive carefully Saturday because some areas were still slick.
The city of Lexington said drivers should pay special attention to their speed on side roads, but main roads are clear.
The number of collisions had dropped dramatically from earlier in the week, when hundreds of accidents were reported and Lexington police were forced to temporarily suspend reports for non-injury collisions. From midnight to 5 a.m. Saturday, the city said the Lexington Police Department responded to two collisions without injuries, two motorist assists and one traffic hazard.
The city said snowplows would keep rolling all day Saturday.
“Crews from the city’s divisions of Streets & Roads, Water Quality, Waste Management, Sanitary Sewer, Environmental Services, Code Enforcement, Sewer Treatment and Parks are now focusing on ranked neighborhood streets, in accordance with the city’s snow plan,” the city said in a news release.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 7, which covers Central Kentucky, also reported early Saturday afternoon that road conditions had continued to improve.
While main roads were crews’ priority Thursday and Friday, the cabinet said they would be focusing on rural routes, turn lanes and shoulders Saturday. The cabinet said crews also would be clearing drop boxes on the interstates & in urban areas to allow for better drainage as the snow begins to melt and rain moves in.
Interstate 75 South was running smoothly Saturday afternoon after snarls, particularly in the area between mile marker 102 and the Clays Ferry Bridge, Thursday and Friday. Lexwrecks, the Twitter account of the Lexington Traffic Management Center, said early Saturday afternoon that motorists should still use caution, especially in that area, since some areas were still covered with snow and ice and a few vehicles had gone off the road.
Saturday’s sunshine and temperatures in the 40s will continue to help melt off the snow, and up to two inches of rain is expected Saturday night and into Sunday, the National Weather Service in Louisville said.
Drivers should be prepared for a potentially slippery commute Monday morning. The weather service said temperatures overnight Sunday could fall into the lower 20s, resulting in a “flash freeze” of water left on the roads.
This story was originally published January 8, 2022 at 2:24 PM.
