Salt shortage, high prices may mean slippery roads

[CMF Newsman]

INDIANAPOLIS - A shortage of road salt and skyrocketing salt prices could mean slippery roads this winter in communities across the nation as officials struggle to keep pavement clear of snow and ice without breaking their budgets.

Heavy snow last year heightened demand for salt, and now many towns can't find enough of it. The shortage could force many cities to salt fewer roads, increasing the risk of accidents. Other communities are abandoning road salt for less expensive but also less effective sand or sand-salt blends.

"The driving public may be the ones who suffer on this," said Robert Young, highway superintendent for northwestern Indiana's LaPorte County, which has 20,000 tons of salt on hand — only half as much as needed to last a normal winter. Because of the shortage, three companies refused to bid on the county's request for more.

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080922/ap_on_re_us/road_salt_shortage;_ylt=AiYQyC8mKjNkGxSjAFAWLTkDW7oF

[el Gusano]

Funny, but we don't salt our roads around here. (I don't know about up north in Fairbanks, but they don't get a lot of snow.)

[LimitedRecourse]

I heard about an area in Utah or thereabouts that may have some excess salt...

[joedog]

Fuel Costs are a major factor

[cadillacdude1975]

salt or no salt, the people of chattanooga dont drive worth a flying shit in rain, sleet or snow. 3 flakes of snow and you cant get a gallon of milk for miles. how fast everyone forgot the blizzard of 93. that was some SNOW.