Written by Kenton Hornbeck, LINK nky reporter
Wednesday’s warmer temperatures have helped thaw a Northern Kentucky that was hammered by heavy snow and ice last week, and then cold temperatures that compacted that snow and ice on local sidewalks and vehicles.
Residential roads were sheathed in a thick layer of ice days after the winter storm. In some locations, the ice was anywhere from an inch to an inch and a half in thickness. Due to frigid overnight temperatures, road crews had to wait until the next morning to spread salt. Certain roads required more than one coating because of the thickness of the ice.
A.J. Smith, an employee of Corken Steel in Covington, was concerned the snow and ice would affect his commute into work. The ice had left his sedan trapped in his driveway.
“The storm made it to where I was not able to drive into work safely,” Smith said. “The roads were so unsafe to drive. I tried for about 20 minutes to get my car to move an inch and I couldn’t move at all. When I was able to move, I would just slide back to where I was. The storm made it impossible for me to get out and go.”
At first it rained. The rain transitioned into sleet. That sleet accumulation then froze over, turning into ice. Snowfall accumulated on top of the ice creating hazardous conditions. Starting last Thursday, the Covington Department of Public Works employees worked overlapping double shifts starting at 5 a.m.
Snow plow drivers for the city would shift in and out, with some going home to a few hours of sleep before returning to work.
“We dodged a bullet – we didn’t get that ‘shiny’ ice,” said Troy McCain, who is supervisor of the General Maintenance Division.
As of last Friday morning, the Covington Public Works crew spread over 543 pounds of salt. During the peak of the storm, there were as many as 30 trucks plowing and spreading salt.
The severity of the storm brought back memories of the 2009 ice storm, one of the worst in Kentucky state history. While this storm wasn’t quite on par with 2009, it was severe enough for Gov. Andy Beshear to issue a statewide state of emergency during a press conference last Thursday in the Capitol.
“I want to be clear, this is still a severe weather event that can cause significant harm to Kentuckians, if we are not careful. The number one message is stay off the roadways, if possible,” Beshear said.
Local county governments declared snow emergencies and travel warnings for residents. Local companies dusted off their remote work playbooks while local school districts canceled school entirely or shifted to remote learning. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport canceled flights.
According to the National Weather Service, communities such as Wilder in Campbell County accumulated as much as 2.5 inches of snow. Walton in Boone County accumulated as much as 3.5 inches.
This week, as the sunshine melts the snow away, runoff from the storm has resulted in ice on sidewalks and roadways. Independent contractors and city governments continue their efforts to clear roadways for safe travel.
Covington City Commissioner Tim Downing praised the efforts of the Covington road crews at Tuesday night’s Board of Commissioners legislative meeting.
“I’d like to give a shout out to our road crews. With the conditions we’ve had over the past week, if anyone deserves a warm cup of coffee and a big thank you, it’s definitely those folks,” Downing said.
Commissioner Ron Washington echoed Downing’s sentiments.
“The team was out all night long. They gave safe passage to a lot of people and we thank them,” Washington said.
