to salt vs. salt a lot (neighborhood, store, parking)

[johnsonkk]

Realize that snow and ice are reasons to pre-salt and salt our roadways but this weekend on most major roadways, there was a "salt median" between the lanes of traffic. The public outcry from under use of salt would be expected but the layers of salt is at a level unseen in other parts of the country. Our neighborhood is always concerned about the heavy sand use on our roads but clearly the salt levels are the larger hazard come spring.

Have others noticed the higher- than- usual salt runs this year?

[ChristineVA]

Yeah, I noticed. It's crazy. All of our neighbors were commenting today on how heavily salted the main road is outside our neighborhood.

[Old Town FFX]

Not so much salt, but a lot of preemptive brining of the roads.

I guess at the end of the day, the VDOT just doesn't want to get caught with their pants down.

[airjay75]

Doesn't seem any worse to me than usual. We use a lot of salt when winter weather is forecast as do all large cities in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Nothing new to me. According to the below article, they aren't actually using a brine today because brines can freeze when temperatures are this low.

Crews work to avoid a 'travel nightmare' on Monday morning - WTOP

[Old Town FFX]

Originally Posted by airjay75

Doesn't seem any worse to me than usual. We use a lot of salt when winter weather is forecast as do all large cities in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Nothing new to me. According to the below article, they aren't actually using a brine today because brines can freeze when temperature are this low.

Crews work to avoid a 'travel nightmare' on Monday morning - WTOP

In regards to my comment on brining, I was thinking of Wednesday of last week, and the days leading up to the weekend, the beltway, 66, 123, 236, all brined. . . I was like, do they know something we don't?

Hopefully this will be the last winter weather event, fingers crossed.

[Fallout Zone]

There was salt "drifting" in the parking lot of the local grocery store on Saturday in the wind.

[gomason]

I don't think it's any more than usual. There was a ton of salt last year too. And the year before.


This is the first time since like the 1960s that DC has had above average snowfall 3 years in a row.

[car54]

I lucked out the other day. I was waiting at a light on Rt 123 and a large salt truck made a right from a side street onto 123 in front of me. About halfway through the turn, BOOM...the entire (full) salt spreader thing fell off the truck and overturned onto 123, blocking 1-3/4 lanes with the spreader and a huge amount of salt.

There was just barely enough room to sneak by the mess on the left shoulder. I'll bet traffic backed up quick and far!