Lexington Residents Frustrated Over Slow Snow Removal After Winter Storm

Calls for accountability and reform as many neighborhood roads remain covered in snow and ice a week later

Feb. 1, 2026 at 7:15pm

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Residents of Lexington, Kentucky are growing increasingly frustrated with the city's slow response to snow removal efforts following a recent winter storm. Many side streets and neighborhood roads remain covered in several inches of snow and ice, even a week after the storm, prompting calls for accountability and reform from local officials and residents.

Why it matters

The lack of effective snow removal has had significant impacts on the community, with schools closed, businesses unable to open, and residents struggling to get around. This highlights the importance of having a comprehensive and adaptable winter weather response plan in place to ensure the safety and mobility of residents during severe winter storms.

The details

Despite the main roads being cleared, many side streets and neighborhood roads across Lexington remain untouched, with some residents reporting 4-5 inches of snow and ice still covering the roads. Some residents, like Chris Shafer, an at-large candidate for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council, say their streets were only cleared because a neighbor with a plow stepped in, not because of city crews. Shafer has called for a full public review of the snow removal budget, a modernized winter weather response plan, transparent reporting on street treatment priorities, and a restoration of funding to protect residents and workers.

  • The latest winter storm hit Lexington in late January 2025.
  • As of February 2, 2026, many neighborhood roads in Lexington remained covered in snow and ice, a week after the storm.

The players

Cindy Haggard

A Lexington resident frustrated with the city's lack of snow removal efforts.

Greg Byford

A Lexington resident who has been living in the city on and off for the past year due to a work project and is also frustrated with the city's snow removal response.

Chris Shafer

An at-large candidate for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council who has called for accountability and reform in the city's snow removal efforts.

Linda Gorton

The mayor of Lexington, who acknowledged shortcomings in the city's handling of the winter storm and said changes are coming.

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What they’re saying

“Roads are horrible. There's no excuse for this. There's no excuse at all.”

— Cindy Haggard

“[City officials] were not prepared for heavy snowfall and ice like this, I guess. This is horrible.”

— Greg Byford

“The taxpayers deserve better. We have roads that are terrible. School's out. Businesses are not making payroll because they can't open. Their employees are not able to pay rent because they're not open. Snow removal is a basic service, and we're failing miserably on it. And it's time for some change to get that corrected.”

— Chris Shafer, at-large candidate for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council

“Lexington's snow plan must be revised to become a snow and ice plan. It's clear that ice storms and extreme cold are part of our winters now. They are incredibly hard to handle, and the plan we have can't adapt to more severe weather. We will be revising our approach. There are no easy answers, but we will start by reaching out to cities that have much more experience with ice and cold than we do.”

— Linda Gorton, Mayor of Lexington

What’s next

Mayor Gorton said changes were coming, but she urged people to be patient as crews continued to 'chip away' at the problem.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the need for Lexington to have a comprehensive and adaptable winter weather response plan in place to ensure the safety and mobility of residents during severe winter storms. The lack of effective snow removal has had significant impacts on the community, underscoring the importance of investing in proper resources and planning to better prepare for and respond to future winter weather events.