All you ever wanted to know about road salt but were afraid to ask

• In an average year, Wayne County uses about 120,000 tons of salt to fight 35-40 snowfalls.
   
• One ton of salt costs the County about $22.91. Because of high demand, some road agencies in Michigan are being charged $36 per ton or more this year.
   
• In the past few years, Wayne County has saved more than $700,000 in salt costs by purchasing its salt through the State of Michigan Budget Department's extended purchasing program. By buying in bulk for multiple agencies, the State can get a better price than the County could on its own.
   
• The reopening of the Detroit Salt Company, which mines salt from a deposit below the streets of southwest Detroit, has helped drive down the cost of salt.
   
• Because of the overwhelming demand for salt in some winter seasons, some salt companies are unable to commit to providing salt, or quote a price for it, for some road agencies. Wayne County has 80,000 tons of salt in stock and has commitments for up to another 169,000 tons.
   
• Wayne County has 14 yard locations throughout the county, from which its snow fighting efforts are based. The County also has a Central Maintenance Yard near Metro Airport, where trucks and equipment are repaired.
   
• Wayne County's salt truck fleet consists of 131 trucks, each of which has its own pre-designed route.
   
• Wayne County spends approximately $6-7 million per year on winter road maintenance. This includes County primary roads, State highways, School bus routes and other residential streets in townships (when necessary).
  
• Standards call for 800 pounds of salt to be applied to each two-lane mile of pavement.
   
• A single salt run for a truck can use up to 12 tons of salt, depending upon truck size.
   
• At temperatures below 20 degrees, salt begins to lose its effectiveness. At 0 degrees, it does virtually nothing.
   
• At two of its six district yards, Wayne County has treated each load of salt with calcium chloride, which helps it work better in colder temperatures.
   
• During the winter, salt trucks are kept loaded with salt and ready to go 24 hours a day, seven days a week in anticipation of snowfalls.
   
• Wayne County does not use sand on paved roads because it does not melt ice and clogs storm drains. Calcium chloride-treated sand is used on gravel roads where there are typically no storm sewers and where salt is less effective. For exceptionally hard packed snow, calcium chloride treated salt can help break it down.

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