Will Lexington plow neighborhood streets? Second storm coming Friday will slow removal
Lexington is still digging out from Winter Storm Blair that dumped more than 7 inches of snow in the area and more than a half inch of ice.
All major roads and many secondary roads are clear of snow and ice.
Still, the city has not yet tackled many neighborhood streets.
And the city may not be able to get to them soon.
Friday’s weather forecast calls for between 3 to 6 inches of snow in Fayette County and Central Kentucky.
A spokeswoman for the city said the city has been working since Monday to keep major streets open. However, there has been intermittent snow since Monday. That means crews have to go back and re-plow city streets.
“Generally, we are still working on the heavily traveled roads. We do get into the neighborhoods to address hazardous stop sign approaches that have been reported,” said Susan Straub, a spokeswoman for the city. “We will also focus on school bus routes.”
The city has a snow plan that dictates what streets are cleared first. Large, main roads that have the most traffic and essential services — such as hospitals —are plowed first.
Those roads include Nicholasville, Richmond and Tates Creek.
Secondary roads that feed into those major streets are plowed second, such as Red Mile Road and Loudon Avenue.
Then crews move to Rank 3 streets, such as Zandale and Buckhorn Lane.
Neighborhood streets are last on the list.
In recent years, the city has not had to plow those streets because temperatures typically climb after a major snow event and the snow melts.
“This issue does not surface very often because we do not have this kind of extended bitter cold very often,” Straub said. “The cold has made the ice challenging, snow has continued in some areas, and more is forecast.”
City officials are asking the public to limit travel so crews can focus on clearing roadways.
The city has more than 1,100 miles of roadway to maintain.
“We appreciate the patience of the public,” Straub said.
“For overall safety, we must concentrate our efforts on roads that are heavily traveled. We urge people to stay off the roads if they can, to help their neighbors, and to keep pets indoors.”
This story was originally published January 9, 2025 at 1:09 PM.
