Re: {OT} Seattle refuses to use salt; roads "snow packed" by design

"Tegger" <invalid@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Xns9B83B5A56DBC7tegger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
No, it doesn't. But it does say that Colorado hasn't used salt since at
least the late-'80s, and implies that non-use of salt dates to a much
earlier time.

Having lived in Denver at various times from 1982 onward, I can tell you for
a fact that it has not used salt since at least1982, and probably since a
lot longer before that, and maybe never. But that link you provided doesn't
really say that. But there is no reason to imply anything, since I am
telling you that Denver does not use salt.

Remember, salt is a deicer, not a snow remover. This means it works best
for thin layers of ice on heavily-traveled roads. If Colorado tends to
have
little ice, but much deep and fresh snow, salt would do no good.

Since salt has a limited effective application environment, it's
reasonable
to assume Colorado's situation precluded the use of salt as a deicing
agent
independently of any other consideration. I wish I could find more
definitive online information on this other than the PDF referenced above,
but it doesn't seem to be available.
--
Tegger

I have lived through some terrible snowstorms and freeze thaw ice problems
in Denver over the 14 years I have lived there, and the reason that Denver
does not use salt has nothing to do with the reasons you stated. Because big
snowstorms are not frequent in Denver, and because of the intense sunlight
and low humidity, Denver has relatively little snow removal equipment when a
big storm does hit. That is all the more reason to use salt, since it is a
lot cheaper to occasionally use salt than to have heavy snowplowing
equipment sitting around idle. Even when Denver occasionally gets the
conditions you describe above, it does not use salt.

The reason why Denver does not use salt is as already stated. It has a very
damaging effect on cars, damaging to the roads (freeze/thaw causes pot
holes), and to some degree the environment (especially in the mountain areas
outside of Denver). People in Denver are willing to put up with a few very
bad snow days each year rather than deal with rusty cars and bad roads
(which also damage cars). The issue is discussed and debated whenever a
really big storm hits Denver.

However, Denver does use sand (with some gravel) and they probably have one
the highest number of windshield repair places per capita in the US (but I
am just guessing).


.

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