DANVILLE — High prices aren’t forcing a change for city and county highway departments headed into the winter season.
Highway departments are dealing with new high prices to purchase tons of road salt for the winter season. Both the city and county paid just more than $43 per ton last winter. This year, that cost has skyrocketed to more than $70 per ton.
Bob Scott, services and operations manager for Danville’s Public Works, said the price spike seen for Danville and Vermilion County isn’t as high as other places in Illinois.
“We feel almost fortunate that it only went from $40 to $73 dollars a ton,” he said. “Some counties are paying up to $150” per ton.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan launched an investigation in November into the reasons behind the spike in salt prices.
Doug Staske is going into his first winter as Vermilion County’s highway engineer. He said the county combines the road salt with sand in order to stretch their supplies. But that can’t be done along all of the county’s 150-plus miles of road.
The urban routes, he said, require straight road salt to be spread.
“We try to be frugal, but it’s an issue of safety,” Staske said. “We want to have enough material on the road.”
When utilized, the road salt and sand are mixed 50-50.
The county received its first shipment of 660 tons already and, following the recent snows, was considering another batch this week.
The first day of winter is Dec. 21, but Vermilion County already received its first measurable snowfall of the year this week. Totals ranged from 3 inches in the northern part of the county to almost 4 inches in the southern part.
The winter outlook, released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association in November, predicts near normal precipitation for east central Illinois and better than 40 percent chance of higher than average temperatures from December through February.
Scott estimates city trucks have spread close to 85 tons of salt in recent days to deal with the early winter weather. In preparation of the winter weather, the city has increased the amount of salt it can purchase from the state to 2,500 tons, Scott said.
To deal with the costs, the city is looking to other better ways to clear slick city thoroughfares.
Last year, a couple of trucks were rigged to spread calcium chloride. This year, the city is in the process of converting trucks to spread a salt brine liquid on the streets.
The material has several benefits, including staying on the road better where it lands and simply cost. The liquid only costs 37 cents per gallon.
In addition, the brine works for a longer period compared to road salt, giving the city a bigger window of time with which to work, Scott said.
Scott said brine should be in next week. Possible future plans include Danville buying its own brine making system, cutting the cost again to between 5 and 10 cents per gallon.
Local News
Related Photos
-
Matt Huber
Discussion
Road salt costs almost double this year
- Local News
-
-
Spirit of the West
Museum workers run out of adjectives when describing the “Spirit of the West” quilt exhibit, which opens Friday. “It’s mind boggling,” Sue Richer, director of the Vermilion County Museum, said as she admired the quilts. “It amazes me. They’re works of art, the way they’re put together.”
-
County looks at power deal
Vermilion County Board committee members will discuss a contract letting Integrys extend electric savings to residents now.
-
Six to retire from Danville High
Six longtime District 118 employees said goodbye to Danville High School at the end of the school year.
-
Teacher’s aide retires after 33 years
Jan Kovacic meets the students at Covington Elementary School when they arrive in the morning, and she is the last one they see in the afternoon when getting on a bus or in a car.
-
Fountain OKs nurse position
Fountain County Council members approved restructuring changes Tuesday in the Fountain-Warren Health Department.
-
United Way close to goal
The United Way of Danville Area is in the home stretch of its annual campaign and wants residents’ help in reaching that goal.
- City rummage sale nears
- Home tour helps museum
- Police, Fire Reports
-
Teacher weaves life skills in with lessons
KaSandra Mitchell’s fifth-graders probably think all the cooking and sewing they do in class is a lot of fun.
- More Local News Headlines
-
California's Foie Gras Ban About to Begin
6-Year-Old Going to National Spelling Bee
Video Essay: Funky Winkerbean Comic Turns 40
On Thailand Trip, Suu Kyi Visits Migrants
Raw Video: Pink Diamond Auctioned for $17.4M
Hurricane Andrew Remembered, 20 Years Later
Sister Says She Reported Brother in Patz Killing
Patz Suspect's Sister: I Went to Police in 1980s
Diplomatic Expulsions Follow Fresh Syria Report
15 Dead in Northern Italy's 5.8-magnitude Quake
Angry Birds Spreading Their Wings
Witness Describes Fla. Face-chewing Attack
Man Falls Off Crane, Dies After Police Standoff
Russia Condemns Ally Syria Over Massacre of 108
Dairy Farm Uses Chiropractor to Help Cows
Unexpected Smog in Pristine National Parks
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing
New Ticks Spread Across Southeast, Diseases Rise
Bring Your Own Tech Programs Charge Up Students
Pope's Butler Vows to Help Vatican Investigation
Couple doesn’t let tropical storm ruin their big day
Tori Bares Baby Bump in Monokini
Even Fla. Police Shocked by Face-Mauling Attack
Letterman on Family Life Post-Scandal
Evans: Serena in shock
Pregnant Reese Wears LBD
Volcano covers Colombian cities in ash
Meet the Crew and Good Ship 'Prometheus'
Los Angeles Bar Bans Bachelorettes
Hamster Plays Dead
Beyonce Shows Off 60 Pound Weight Loss at Concert
Drunk Women Breaking Into Houses: A New Trend?
LeAnn Rimes Rocks Short Shorts
Raw Video: Cop Shoots Man Eating Another's Face
Gordon Ramsay Carried Off Field
Man Dies Getting Lap Dance
Kim Kardashian Claims Items Stolen from Her Luggage
Bear cools off in Calif. family's pool
Ep. 3: Chopped Desserts
Air Force dad surprises family at baseball game
