(WFRV) – While northeast Wisconsin continues to battle the extreme cold temperatures, WisDOT officials are answering the recently popular question of “why isn’t more sand used on state highways during the winter?”
According to a post on social media from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the answer to why snowplows are not using more sand on the highways instead of salt is due to several factors.
WisDOT officials say that while sand can sometimes be used for traction during very cold temperatures where salt appears ineffective, the benefits of using the sand are actually very minimal.
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They state that while it is true that sand creates more traction, it does not have any ice-melting properties and can also be easily displaced on higher-speed roadways.
The cost of sand is also higher than using salt when the higher application rates, costs of sweeping, and the costs of the disposal of sand are factored into the decision of which product to use to battle ice on the roadways.
For more information about winter roadways maintenance in Wisconsin, click here.
