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Jan 22

Application of Street De-Icing Material

Posted on January 22, 2020 at 10:17 AM by Nancy Oakland-Potter

Q.  Why does the city apply toxic metal salts, such as sodium and magnesium chloride, to Laramie streets when street runoff ends up in the Laramie River, Spring Creek, and the Casper Aquifer? How many pounds of salt end up in our water every winter?


A.  De-icing material is applied to locations whenever needed to address safety concerns for the traveling public. These areas include:  4-way stops, signal-controlled intersections, hills, and any other locations that have historically required attention. The Salt and Ice slice applied is used sparingly but is necessary to provide residents with a safe traveling surface.