Street Smarts reader Lee Peterson, of Snohomish, writes: “During our recent period of below freezing temperatures we saw the road maintenance crews applying a liquid de-icer to bridges and raised roadways like the Highway 2 trestle. What is it? Is there any environmental impact? Is is safe for my car’s finish? It seems to work well and is much less messy than sand.”
Tom Pearce, of the Washington State Department of Transportation, responds: “During the recent cold snap WSDOT applied anti-icer to a number of highways, overpasses and bridges in King and Snohomish counties, as well as around the state. The anti-icer we use is calcium chloride. While it is safe for the environment, it is a type of salt, so we recommend rinsing your vehicles after a storm.
“We use liquid anti-icer before storms or when frost/ice is anticipated to reduce the potential of ice forming on the road. We use solid de-icer made up of salt and sand if there is snow and ice on the roadway. Once the snow and ice are gone, we sweep up the leftover sand to keep it out of storm drains, streams, etc.
“Also, remember that just because we’ve applied anti-icer or de-icer, you still need to drive carefully for the conditions. The biggest mistake drivers make is driving as if the roads are bare and dry.”
On a related note, Snohomish County’s road maintenance division so far this winter has used 1,200 tons of sand, 300 tons of salt, and 11,500 gallons of anti-ice spray.
Snohomish County has priority routes for snow and ice response in the unincorporated areas it serves. You can find out more at www.snohomishcountywa.gov/snow.
Have a question? Email us at streetsmarts@heraldnet.com. Please include your first and last name and city of residence. Look for updates on the Street Smarts blog.
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