BENEFITS AND COSTS IN THE USE OF SALT TO DEICE HIGHWAYS

This report deals with the benefits and adverse effects of using salt (NaC1) in highway deicing. Most experts consider this as the most effective and economical method known today for expediting snow and ice removal. The principal benefits of road salting are reduced winter driving accidents and reduced dollar losses accompanying reductions in delay. What might be the most important benefits has not received much attention, namely, reduced delay in emergency transportation services. The principal adverse effects of road salting are increased corrosion of vehicles and highway structures, increased salinity of water supplies and damage to roadside vegetation. Public officials are confronted with having to weigh the benefits against the total costs. Comparatively little quantitative data are available on the relative magnitudes of specific benefits and adverse effects of road salting. However, several indicators have been derived in this study from various data sources.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by the Salt Institute.
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute for Safety Analysis

  Washington, DC  United States 
• Authors:
  • Brenner, R
  • Moshman, J
• Publication Date: 1976-11

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 148 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Corrosion; Deicing chemicals; Emergency vehicles; Highways; Snow removal; Traffic crashes; Vegetation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Motor vehicle accidents
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00152388
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Safety Council Safety Research Info Serv
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 1977 12:00AM