Whether You Love It or Hate It, Salting the Roads is Here to Stay

MnDOT and St. Louis county see no signs of stopping their salting to fight icy conditions any time soon.

DULUTH, Minn.-  More snow coming means more salt on roads. And while it’s sometimes annoying for drivers, salt can be an unsung hero during snowstorms. But will we have enough of it to last through the rest of a very snowy season?.

MnDOT used over 25 thousand tons of salt on the roads so far this Winter- that’s right on target for this time of year. During Summer and Fall, the agency purchases stockpiles of salt to prepare for the snow season and trains their drivers to use it sparingly so there’s no fear of running out.

“Our main goal with salt is to use the right amount. We don’t want to use any more than we have to and we don’t want to use any less,” MnDOT representative Beth Petrowske said.

Officials with the highway department for St. Louis county don’t seem worried, either.

With every snow storm, they use up to 4 thousand tons of saltwater and sand mix from their new brine production system. The system has made a tremendous difference in the department’s efficiency making the roads safer, faster.

“We’re actually doing pretty well here at this point. It’s hard to say with what comes through with what comes through in March and into April as far as storms go but with this brine system it’s favorable that we may have been able to reduce some salt usage this year,” highway maintenance supervisor Mike Fox said.

Representatives with the City of Duluth also say their salt use is around normal for this time of year.

By the end of snow storm season, the state of Minnesota is expected to use over 30 thousand tons of salt to keep the roads safe for driving.