Grayson County still chipping out after weekend snow, ice storm

LEITCHFIELD, Ky. (WDRB) -- While heavy snow buried parts of southern Indiana, ice has created hazardous conditions across portions of central Kentucky, where frigid temperatures have limited crews' ability to treat roads.

Grayson County was hit last weekend by about 4 inches of snow, followed by a quarter-inch of ice and then additional snowfall, leaving many roads slick and dangerous. Drivers reported vehicles sliding off roadways, especially on hills and side streets.

"Coming down here from Louisville, there were three or four cars in the ditch," said Anthony Farinelli, a driver traveling through the county Wednesday.

Even main roads in and around Leitchfield remain a challenge in some areas, while side roads are significantly worse, Farinelli said.

"Main roads are good," he said. "Side roads are not so good. They're pretty terrible."

On Wednesday, Grayson County road crews continued loading trucks with salt to make additional passes on roads that had already been treated. But officials said extremely low temperatures have reduced the salt's effectiveness.

"It has been terrible," said Kenny McCrady, assistant director of the Grayson County Road Department.

McCrady said crews have been working 12- to 14-hour shifts, but ice buildup has made it nearly impossible to clear some steeper roads. Heavy equipment has also struggled to cut through the ice.

"We've tried backhoes. We've tried graders," McCredy said. "The graders just sit on top of the ice, just like the blades on the trucks. It has been really tough."

Ice coated much of the county, clinging to power lines, street signs, trees and equipment. Despite pre-salting roads before the storm, McCrady said crews are now largely at the mercy of the weather.

"Mother Nature is going to have to help us," he said. "We're going to have to have warmer temperatures. Without that, this salt is just not activating as it should."

Some power outages were reported across the area, though most service has since been restored, officials said.

For now, McCrady said, crews and residents alike are waiting for conditions to improve.

"It's a waiting game," he said.

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