Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Thursday, September 11, 2014
(NOBLESVILLE) - Many of us may be clinging onto the little bit of summer remaining, but city and county road crews are already preparing for winter.
They're placing orders for road salt, and the prices they're seeing are causing sort of a sticker shock.
Lafayette last year paid $56 per ton, but this year it's nearly doubled to $94 per ton.
Lafayette's not alone. County and city governments from across the state are reporting higher salt prices for this coming season.
"This is the time of year when we really start getting prepared, said Bradley Davis, Director of the Hamilton County Highway Department.
This year Hamilton County will spend nearly $80 per ton of salt. That's more than $7 more than what they paid last year. Morgan County is paying an additional $20 per ton. Hendricks County is reporting paying an additional $12 per ton. Hancock County is paying an extra $10 per ton.
One reason for the increase is because there's less reserves because of the amount of salt used last year, also many departments are using salt treated with magnesium chloride.
"Magnesium chloride helps with colder temperatures," Davis said. "As temperatures go down salt becomes less effective and the magnesium chloride treatment with the salt makes it as effective as if the temperatures were warmer."
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