What states salt their roads? | TDIClub Forums Geologist-In-Training (GIT) certification is formal recognition that a person has passed the ASBOG Fundamentals of Geology (FG) examination and also met specific education requirements. Possibly good: Virginia. While there is not a perfect solution to the issue, there are alternatives that can significantly reduce salt usage without compromising driver safety. Officials said the storm began with rain, which washed away road salt and made it difficult to keep roads clear. 0:35. Ingestion of these minerals can cause a varying degree of symptoms and health issues. Each year, Americans spread more than 48 billion pounds of salt on roads to ward off the effects of winter. Cities like Milwaukee are tryingto ration what salt they have. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy. Dr. Hintz said his review showed that elevated salinity levels in freshwater ecosystems had already caused a reduction in the abundance and growth of freshwater organisms and a reduction in their reproduction outputs. Not ideal: Idaho. Data source: U.S. Geological Survey. The consequences of insufficiently salting roads. In actuality, salt compound deicers have been used statewide since 1996, with an increase in tonnage applied each year. Shi says these are still further off, though, and likely to be pricey. $1.18 billion#, * Based on reported production capacities of industrial salt producers kentucky. Kansas. Bill Kern, the countys highway commissioner, said switching to a brine solution had enabled the county to cut its salt use by up to 60 percent since 2018 without an increase in the number of accidents. Snow and ice plan | WSDOT - Washington State Department of Transportation Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Right now, one of the best ways to help Grist continue to thrive is by becoming a monthly member. And the salty soil near roadways can kill trees and other plants. In the skin cells, ice crystals develop, and blood flow decreases, depriving the tissues of oxygen. 1999-2023 Grist Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. At the top are five New England states that used the most salt per mile of road lanes over the past four years: Rhode Island (44.2 tons), Massachusetts (34.6 tons), New York (28.0 tons), New Hampshire (25.1 tons) and Vermont (23.3 tons). $5 billion to pay for the resulting damage caused by salt. Road salt is made from sodium chloride, the same chemical found in table salt. ClearRoads information shows winter maintenance is expensive. This makes salt-reduction programs like Minnesotas crucial, Hintz said, to flatten the curve of freshwater salt concentrations. Rock salt is very effective at melting snow and ice and is considered to be pretty cheap. Arkansas. A 2018 study of wells in Dutchess County, N.Y., found that sodium concentration in wells reached levels as high as 860 milligrams per liter much higher than the federal and state recommendation that levels not exceed 20 milligrams per liter for people on very low-sodium diets and 270 milligrams per liter for people on moderately restricted sodium diets. Here are the 21 states (plus one district) that youll almost always see listed as part of the salt belt: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington D.C. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); A nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Even with the recent shortage, salt is extraordinarily cheap, and cities have a limited budget for de-icing their roads.
