Lexington is fighting a serious winter storm with all it has, Mayor Linda Gorton said today.
“Forecasters are now anticipating more ice than snow, making roads even more treacherous,” Gorton said. “Once again, I am asking our citizens to stay home if they don’t have to go out.”
The Mayor has declared a Stage One Snow Emergency, which goes into effect at 6 p.m. this evening and requires motorists to move vehicles parked on designated snow emergency routes so the City can plow. The affected roadways are marked with “Snow Emergency Route” street signs. View map.
“We don’t want to tow anyone, but snow is accumulating on our roads, and more snow and ice are expected,” Gorton said. “We need to be able to plow snow routes, and that requires that parked vehicles be moved.”
If vehicles are not moved by 6 p.m. tonight, they may be towed. Beginning at 5 a.m. today, and continuing through the snow emergency, LexPark garages downtown – the Courthouse Garage, the Helix, Victorian Square Garage and the Transit Center Garage – are open for free parking.
The snow emergency order remains in effect until it is lifted by the mayor.
STREETS AND ROADS
Crews from the Division of Streets and Roads and the Division of Water Quality reported for duty at 8 p.m. Sunday and began salt brining and pre-treating ranked roads in the snow plan, including neighborhood roads.
Crews will continue on 12-hour shifts for the duration of the event.
City crews are currently putting salt on the priority streets and roads. The city will post all weather updates at lexingtonky.gov/snow-and-ice-updates.
With the prediction of more ice, the city is expecting a lot of tree debris. City crews will first clear streets, then sidewalks of limbs. Residents can stack debris from their yards between the sidewalk and the curb, but it will not be cleared immediately.
Warming centers opened at 9 a.m. today at Dunbar Center, 545 N. Upper Street, and at the Senior Center, located behind Southland Christian Church on Richmond Road. Centers will close at 7 p.m.
POLICE
Between midnight and 11 a.m. today, Lexington Police worked nine non-injury accidents, and assisted 16 motorists. The President’s Day Holiday is helping keep traffic volume low.
Special assignment personnel to check for motorists having trouble throughout the city and interstate. Officers will also be checking with homeless individuals and providing transport to shelters for those that request it. Additional all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive vehicles are being brought in to be utilized.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Fire Department has responded to 150 incidents in the last 30 hours. The department has 170 personnel on duty, with all front line units staffed and operational. Extended preparation had been made by ensuring adequate staffing is available, with a significant list of members on stand-by for call back. Fire has pre-positioned equipment (portable generators, chainsaws, and heating units and 4-wheel drive vehicles). The department has also reached out to neighboring counties to coordinate resources.
Citizens are reminded to dispose of wood stove or fireplace ashes in metal containers, not plastic waste carts. In addition, take care with supplemental heating devices, such as space heaters.
WINTER CARE PROGRAM
Sheriff Kathy Witt has had 120 calls for transportation for healthcare workers, taking patients to dialysis or chemo treatments, or picking up prescriptions for senior citizens. The Winter Care number is (859) 252-1771.
WARMING CENTERS
Warming centers opened at 9 a.m. today at Dunbar Center, 545 N. Upper Street, and at the Senior Center, located behind Southland Christian Church on Richmond Road. The centers will close at 7 p.m.
