Salt prices have dropped and supplies are expected to be up this year for treatment on winter roads.
Greene County Engineer Bob Geyer said the county is paying just over $67 a ton for salt this year, compared to just under $100 paid last year. But just because prices are down doesn’t mean usage will go up, he said.
“I only bid 7,500 tons this year instead of 10,000 because I plan to continue our ways to reduce salt usage on our roads because we just can’t afford to do it anymore,” Geyer said.
Greene County was frugal with their supply last year due to a salt shortage that the entire region dealt with. Across the region, counties focused on “spot treating” areas such as intersections, curves and hills to limit salt use but still lessen danger on more difficult roads to navigate.
In some areas, including Middletown and in Greene County, salt was mixed with sand and grit.
The shortage was caused by higher than normal snowfall, and in some cases, street and road crews were waiting for suppliers to deliver road salt that had been ordered.
Most salt companies take their bids in the summer for winter salt supplies, and while Greene County was able to get salt at a lower price, economics said prices could jump when snow starts to fall.
