More than two weeks after a winter storm swept through Central Kentucky, warmer temperatures are finally melting the ice that has blanketed the Bluegrass.
Lexington residents say the sunshine is making a clear difference as they clear sidewalks and driveways that have remained covered since the storm.
For longtime resident JR Hisle, this winter storm doesn’t measure up to what he recalls from years ago.
“I can remember having 15 inches of snow here. They almost missed a month of school,” Hisle said.
This year, Fayette County students stayed out of school for just over two weeks. Residents say the recent sunshine is now helping speed up cleanup efforts.
“It’s definitely making it easier. It’s starting to heat the blacktop up a little bit. If you can get a channel, it’ll help to get the ice a little bit loose,” said Jerry Morro, a Lexington resident.
Still, even as the ice melts, some residents say conditions in their neighborhoods continue to cause frustration.
“I had three trucks go by here, you know, salt trucks with blades and they didn’t even touch this big ice dam that they built out in front of my house,” Morro said.
Lexington resident Marcy Baugh urged people to take their time when shoveling ice, warning that it is heavier than many realize.
“Especially with ice and water, be aware of the weight of it and do good body mechanics so you don’t hurt yourself,” Baugh said.
Baugh said she chose to wait for warmer temperatures before clearing her sidewalk, knowing that scraping too soon would cause the ice to refreeze.
“And so now, today, I want to get the snow cleared off the sidewalk and let the sun help us with getting everything cleared off,” she said.
WKYT contacted the mayor’s office about plans to reinstate the sidewalk shoveling rule but has not yet received a response.