During winter maintenance, why is salt used on the state highways and a sand / salt mixture used on the county highways?

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is the authority in charge of maintenance of the state highways and their statewide policy is to use straight rock salt to assist in melting ice and snow from those pavements.


Price County is the authority in charge of the maintenance of the county highways and that policy requires the use of a sand / salt mixture with 5% salt.


Using only the salt increases the deicing rate of the roadways, but at a much higher cost than the sand / salt mixture. The price per ton of salt is $92.59 and the price per ton for the sand / salt mixture is only $17 per ton.

Show All Answers

1. What time of day does the snow plowing and winter maintenance begin during a snowstorm?
2. During winter maintenance, why is salt used on the state highways and a sand / salt mixture used on the county highways?
3. Why isn’t the pavement showing on my road?
4. Why didn’t I see a snow plow on my road?
5. Why doesn’t the state road get plowed 24 hours a day?
6. What happens if I encounter black ice?
7. When is the monthly Highway Committee meeting?