What goes into ‘winterizing’ the roads

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – The city of Idaho Falls is working hard to make sure the roads stay safe when the winter weather hits.

Plows have done a great job to keep the roads clear in Idaho Falls once the snow hits, but public works also does preparation before hand to make the aftermath more effective to resolve.

They do this through 'road striping,' which is laying down salt brine, a mixture of salt and water. This prevents the ice and snow from bonding with road.

If a big weather event, like snow is coming, they're out spraying the roads.

Idaho Falls Public Works says this is a better alternative than just laying down salt.

Street Superintendent Brian Cardon says, "We can use about 14 tons of salt to do all of our priority ones and twos as opposed if we were to put solids down. We're looking at about 35 to 52 tons of salt to put down in advance of that. The the downside to solids as well, if you're putting it down when it's sunny... cars will hit it, it'll scatter and it won't stay where you want it to stay."

Many wanted to know how this salt brine can impact vehicles. They tell me it can have the same affect on your car as regular salt would if driven on it while it is wet.

"My suggestion with that is if you're driving through that, we have signs to stay back from those vehicles," Cardon says, "If it's dry, you're not going to see much of that. But if you're driving through the wet lines, you're going to get some salt on your vehicle. I mean, we wash our vehicles all the time after we apply the stuff just to help with any of the corrosion that that happens with salt."

For more information head to the city's website.