- Michigan cities are rationing salt and focusing on key roads due to low temperatures
- MDOT says there is enough salt overall, but very low temperatures make sand a more practical option in some areas
- Salt becomes less effective in temperatures below 15 degrees
As brutal cold and heavy snow grip Michigan, some cities are telling residents not to expect clear roads.
Above-average snowfall has many local governments using more snow than they have in years. Combined with temperatures too low for the salt to work, that’s forcing local governments to ration treatments and prioritize only the most critical routes.
While some agencies said there’s a salt shortage, the Michigan Department of Transportation said it has plenty of salt and can help local agencies if they need it. Rather, the agency is being strategic about salting roads because it’s less effective when temperatures are so low.
“We do not have a salt shortage,” said Jocelyn Garza, director of communications for MDOT. “We have gone through more salt this season than we have in the past several years, but we are not at risk of running out of salt.”
The state orders salt based on a five-year average of snowfall totals. This year, the state has ordered 199,450 tons of salt and can order more if needed.
“Sometimes, in these really low temperatures, we’re better off scraping ice and snow off the roadway as opposed to (using) salt and have that salt be ineffective,” she said.
Meanwhile, several cities warned residents their roads may not be plowed or salted right away.
On Monday, Lansing issued a notice to residents that it will focus on critical areas.
“We elected not to engage in snow removal or chemical/sand applications because temperatures were too low for salt or chemicals to be effective. Additionally, removing the accumulated snow can create icy conditions and reduce the traction provided by fresh snowfall,” the city said.
The Fowlerville Police Department said in a social media postthat the city will salt only major intersections, railroad crossings and traffic signals.
The city of Eaton Rapids put out a similar social media post saying it’s prioritizing main intersections and high-traffic routes.
Before and during snowstorms, Michigan roads are treated with rock salt, an unrefined form of sodium chloride, to lower water’s freezing point and prevent ice from bonding to the pavement.
But when temperatures drop below 15 degrees, the salt becomes far less effective, Richard Rood, professor of climate, space sciences and engineering at the University of Michigan, said.
“Eventually, it’s just not effective enough … but it does help the traction before it dissolves,” he said.
In extreme cold temperatures, some trucks that normally carry salt switch to sand, which provides traction without relying on melting.
Sand is mainly applied in rural areas where drainage systems lack mechanical pumps, since sand in runoff can damage such equipment, according to MDOT.
Protecting waterways and infrastructure
Less salt use could benefit the environment. Advocates have long warned that heavy salt use harms waterways, soil and wildlife.
“Using road salt or brine (salt solution) properly is important for managing ice and snow on roads to protect public safety and also for keeping excess chloride (salt) out of the environment, where it can have harmful impacts,” said Christe Alwin, supervisor of the Water Resource Division for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
Salt runoff can contaminate drinking water and raise chloride levels that are toxic to aquatic life. It also accelerates concrete corrosion, creating cracks and potholes.
To limit environmental damage, EGLE advises municipalities to adjust salt use based on local conditions and set up buffer zones in sensitive areas.
“Michigan Department of Transportation plow trucks apply pre-wetted salt to roads at slow speeds to keep the maximum amount of salt on the roadway,” Alwin said. “This minimizes the amount of excess salt washing off roads into ditches and storm sewers that discharge to surface waters.”
Snow totals surge across Michigan
Heavy snow covered towns from New England to Missouri during a recent winter storm, unofficially named Fern by The Weather Channel over the weekend. In Michigan, temperatures dropped to as low as -16 degrees in the Upper Peninsula, -10 degrees in the northern Lower Peninsula and -6 degrees in southeast Michigan.
Snowfall totals for the season continued to climb across the state. As of Wednesday afternoon, Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula already recorded about 130 inches of snow, almost double for this time of year and surpassing its normal of 120 inches for the entire season, according to the National Weather Service.
Gaylord has recorded about 114 inches of snow so far this year, well above the normal 90 inches it receives for this time of year. Traverse City has received 90 inches of snow, which is more than the 59 inches it usually receives during this time of year.
Southern Michigan cities have received less snow than northern areas, but totals are still near average. Detroit and Flint have each recorded roughly 34 inches, while Grand Rapids has seen about 48 inches.
Northern Michigan is seeing heavier snowfall because of several factors. The return of La Niña is pushing the jet stream north, bringing colder and stormier conditions, while low ice levels on the Great Lakes are increasing lake-effect snow.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts at least a 50% chance of above-average precipitation across the state from February through April. There is an equal chance of above-average or below-average temperatures, meaning precipitation there could fall as rain rather than snow. With more than a month of winter left, snow totals in northern Michigan may continue to climb well past seasonal averages.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under our Republication Guidelines. Questions? Email republishing@bridgemi.com
