LANSING — Amid one of the most severe winters in recent memory, at least some local public works departments are scrambling to get enough of a precious commodity − road salt.
In a social media posting, the Eaton Rapids Department of Public Works & Utilities said it’s prioritizing main intersections and high-traffic routes over local streets because of what it described as a “statewide road salt shortage.”
“This approach helps conserve available supplies while maintaining public safety in critical areas,” the message said. “We appreciate the community’s patience and understanding.”
In a similar message, the village of Fowlerville in Livingston County said there is a regional salt storage “due to limited availability from salt mines in the Detroit area” and noted that salting was being limited to major intersections, rail crossings and traffic signals.
“Residents may notice reduced salting on local and residential streets,” officials said. “This measure is necessary to conserve available supplies while maintaining safety in high-traffic and critical areas.”
But other officials said the problem is not a salt shortage, per se, but the ability of trucking companies to deliver the product when demand is high.
The Michigan Department of Transportation is not concerned about a salt shortage, a spokesperson for the agency said. Road salt is ordered before winter sets in, and the amount is based on an average of the previous five years, said the spokesperson, Jocelyn Garza.
“MDOT garages typically receive at least two shipments of salt per season, one early (Sept/Oct and one in Jan/Feb),” Garza said. “Because we’re required to order our salt based on the five-year average, we have gone through more salt this year than the last few years, but we are not at risk of running out.”
Lansing Public Service Director Andy Kilpatrick said agencies are waiting longer to have it delivered because of strong demand. That’s not as big of an issue right now because it’s been too cold for rock salt to work very well, and his department has switched to a chloride/sand mix to provide traction, he said.
The city ordered salt on Tuesday, Jan. 20 and expects an update on delivery by the middle of this week, Kilpatrick said.
“We have enough salt and sand to address the snow currently expected over the next 7-10 days and into early February,” he said. “If we don’t get a delivery in the next two weeks and receive several large storms after that, we could run into some shortages.”
ContactKen Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on X @KBPalm_lsj
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Is there a road salt shortage? Here’s what’s really going on
Reporting by Ken Palmer, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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