Lexington’s Road Crews Tackle Area’s First Winter Blast

John Bobel

December 23, 2022

Lexington, KY – December 23, 2022 – City crews began reporting at 8 p.m. last night, treating roads with salt and other materials.  Roads are slick in spots. A new crew shift will start at 8 a.m., with crews continuing to address ice and drifting snow.

Residents and visitors are advised to stay off the roads. If you must drive, use extreme caution.

Prioritization of roads for snow and ice removal is based on traffic volume with consideration for access to public transportation, emergency services, and schools. Residents can view traffic in real-time using city traffic cameras.

• Rank 1 streets are the main roads in and out of the city. Examples include Main Street, Harrodsburg Road and Newtown Pike. Most Rank 1 roads are also snow emergency routes.
• Rank 2 streets, such as Rosemont Garden and Bryan Avenue, connect Rank 1 roads and provide access to large commercial areas with offices and stores.
• Rank 3 streets are main collector routes that connect residential areas to Rank 1 and 2 roads. Examples include Zandale Drive, Appian Way and Buck Lane.
• Rank 4 streets are local collector streets within subdivisions, which allow residents access to main roads.

View the Lexington snow plan at https://www.lexingtonky.gov/snow-and-ice-control-plan.

Overnight, the Lexington Police Department responded to 56 traffic-related calls with no major injury accidents. As of 6:00 a.m., the call breakdown is:

• 1 injury collision
• 10 non-injury collisions
• 16 motorist assists
• 29 traffic hazards

A wind chill warning and winter storm advisory remain in effect until 1 p.m. today. Plan on slippery road conditions. Patchy blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. The cold wind
Chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.

Kentucky Utilities reports 103 customers in Fayette County without power.

Due to the holiday schedule, Friday’s trash collection was rescheduled. Lexington city government offices are closed today. All in-person activities at the University of Kentucky are canceled.  Only UK Plan B employees are expected to report to work. UK Healthcare facilities are open.

For the latest city snow updates, closings, and more, visit lexingtonky.gov/snowupdates and go to lexingtonky.gov/snow for detailed information on the city’s snow plan and road rankings.

The city’s snow removal plan with street and sidewalk rankings is available at lexingtonky.gov/snow. Get the latest on city snow removal, delays, closings, and more at lexingtonky.gov/snowupdates.

Residents can get information on accidents, lane blockages, snow-and-ice trouble spots, and road closures through the city’s Twitter accounts (@lexwrecks and @lexkypolice). They can also view traffic through the city’s traffic cameras at lexingtonky.gov/traffic.