Press Releases - Department of Transportation

MCDOT’s Approach to Roadway Salt Use: Apply the Minimum Amount Necessary to Ensure Safety

For Immediate Release: Monday, March 19, 2018

Using salt on County roadways during winter storms is a balancing act. Salt use protects travelers and can save lives. But using too much salt can have environmental impacts. That is why MCDOT uses the minimum amount of salt necessary to ensure public safety.

 

MCDOT does not use any other chemicals besides rock salt on County roadways. And much of the salt that is used is in the form of salt brine – a mixture of about 23 percent salt and 77 percent water. The use of salt brine reduces the amount of salt needed to treat pavement following a snowfall. Salt brine is applied to major roads before predicted snow begins to fall to prevent ice from forming and make snow removal easier.

 

MCDOT also clears snow from more than 50 miles of sidewalks and trails using pet-friendly salt that will not harm animals who come into contact with it.

 

Every storm is different. Just as MCDOT tailors our snow and ice removal response to the conditions, so too is the amount of salt and the timing of its application customized for every storm – applying only what is needed.

 

Should a piece of equipment malfunction and deposit too much salt, residents can call MC311. Crews will pick up the excess salt and return it to the salt storage depot to be reused.

 

Release ID: 18-050
Media Contact: Esther Bowring 240-777-7170