Have you ever been behind one of our maintenance contractors in the winter and watched as they sprayed liquid on the road? It’s often mistaken for water, but it’s more than that. It’s actually salt water, or “brine,” and it’s very useful when trying to keep snow and ice off the road.
If there’s just a light skiff of snow, the brine will help to melt it and prevent it from freezing again, keeping the road nice and clear. If the snow is too heavy, the brine is still useful, as it creates a barrier and stops the snow from sticking to the surface of the road, making it much easier for plows to clear it out of the way.
Salt is a staple of our winter maintenance routine. Sometimes salt is used in a liquid, sometimes as a solid, and there are different types, too. And depending on the concentration, mix and application, it can have different effects. Some salts work faster than others and some work better at lower temperatures, while others are longer lasting but can take time to start working.
There’s a lot of science behind it, but there’s a real art to using salt as well. Using a fast-acting salt can work well when there isn’t much snow, for example. But if the snow keeps coming, the fast-acting option will create a lot of water, which will dilute the salt and make it less effective. Our contractors have to understand all those pros and cons, but they have to consider more than just the type of salt and how to apply it. They also have to think about air and road temperatures, humidity, traffic volumes, weather forecasts and other variables.
It’s a balancing act that means different areas of the province can see salt used in different ways at different times, but it’s always with the same goal — to make our roads safer for winter driving.
Hi there, I live just north of campbell River. It’s been a warm winter with very little freezing and no sig black ice yet I am regularity seeing salt and gravel trucks dumping on the highways. The saly just sits on the road when it’s plus 5 to plus 10 deg and no nighttime frost. The gravel,has cracked windshields in 2 of our cars.
Is salting and gravel really necessary? I’d like to see it stopped. Especially this year.
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for connecting with us. We will share your comment directly with the local area manager and let you know what we hear back.
Hello again Andrew,
We spoke with the local area manager about your concern and he informed us that the maintenance contractor in the area is responsible for ensuring the roads are safe for the travelling public. They look at several sources for prediction of weather and temperature and must be proactive in the application of salt or sand to prevent dangerous conditions that may be present. This area has had a challenging year with rapidly changing conditions and temperatures fluctuating around the freezing level which is why they continue to use salt and sand applied to local highways. Hope that this helps!