LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The University of Kentucky announced the cancellation of classes Wednesday after an early morning two-hour delay, prompting crews to work throughout the day to clear sidewalks and streets in preparation for students and staff returning to campus Thursday.
Sophomore Will Moreno noted the improvements.
“Everything on campus has cleared up now as well," Moreno said. "Early, early this morning they were still out clearing them, but other than that, it has been pretty good.”
The university's decision to cancel classes came after snowfall created challenging conditions.
“We're always going to do what we think is in the best interest of the safety and well-being of our campus community,” said UK spokesperson Jay Blanton. “We also want to take as much time as we can to make that decision so that we can try to be open.”
Blanton highlighted that the timing of the snowfall and the cold temperatures made it difficult to maintain normal operations.
“We want to try as hard as we can to be up and open and fully operational. That's for our students, our faculty and staff, but it is also really significant for our health care system, which has to be open,” he said.
Throughout the day, campus crews focused on clearing essential areas, prioritizing pathways around health clinics, hospitals, and other critical facilities. Blanton encouraged anyone on campus to utilize the university’s WalkSafe sidewalk snow clearing plans, which detail which sidewalks will be addressed first during winter weather events.
Freshman Porter Hazzard shared his experience navigating the campus during the snowfall.
“I woke up a little later than usual and decided to take the scooter. I was riding on the roads because there was less snow on the roads, and at that intersection right there, I might have accidentally slipped and fallen,” he said. Thankfully, he emerged unscathed.
As the University of Kentucky prepares to welcome students back, the emphasis remains on safety and ensuring that everyone can move around campus without incident.
For detailed snow plans, students can visit the university's WalkSafe website.
