What Happened?
The Nazareth Public Works Department in Pennsylvania has developed a new system for salting roads when winter storms create dangerous travel routes. The Public Works Superintendent developed a proprietary road salting system that costs the city $500 to counter winter roads, which is significantly less than the average $20,000 most other towns pay for advanced equipment to make the brine and spray it on roads when the temperature drops.
The Goal
When the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs discovered what the Nazareth Public Works was implementing to cut the cost of winter roadway maintenance, the agencies awarded the city with first place in the state and third in the nation for the 2013 Build a Better Mousetrap Competition, sponsored by the Local Technical Assistance Program and the University of Kentucky.
The competition encourages the development of innovations at the local level that aim to increase safety, reduce costs and increase efficiency of transportation services. Nazareth’s brine system not only eliminates the $20,000 price tag the city could not afford but still efficiently preserves the roadways during inclement weather months.
How It Works
The Nazareth Public Works devised the $500 system by using large plastic tools, stainless steel piping and a standard pickup truck to apply brine throughout the community. Many cities opt for brine rather than salt to eliminate slick, icy roads because it requires less material to provide the same level of safety. With a brine system, public works departments can utilize 1 to 1.5 tons of brine per application. When using salt on the roads, departments may need up to 16 tons to provide the same service.
Why Brine?
Brine is basically water with a high salt concentration. When brine is applied to roadways before heavy snow or icy rain, the brine can dry and embed into the asphalt. When the snow or icy precipitation lands on the roads, the brine is activated and lowers the freezing point of water.
When snow lands on brine, it will still cover the roads as the melting process is not instant or fast. Rather, the brine acts as a barrier between the snow or ice and the ground preventing them from bonding. When brine is placed prior to a storm, plows have an easier time removing snow or ice off the roadways, which are then clear for safe travels.
The brine will also stay bonded to the roadway surface after a plow has passed through, allowing for each brine distribution to last several snowfalls or storms. Salt, on the other hand, must be reapplied after each plow cycle because it will be swept off the roadway with the snow and ice being removed.
An ideal brine solution for roadway maintenance is a 20-23% concentration of salt that will withstand temperatures as low as -6 degrees Fahrenheit and can be spread when temperatures drop to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
Keeping The Roadways Clear
Gov1 has followed several trends in roadway preservation including the development of more bike-friendly amenities and revitalizing existing infrastructure.