TOLEDO, Ohio — Snow is on the ground and salt has paved the roads to ensure safe travels. But a relatively mild winter so far has meant that many communities have not used as much road salt as usual, which has spared many municipal budgets.
Like most communities the city of Toledo buys salt in advance of winter weather each year. Toledo stores its salt pile at Arms Dock along Summit Street.
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz has said he would like to remove the salt along the river and store it indoors to purchase more while prices are low. Though the building can store up to 80,000 tons of salt the city typically uses around 45,000-50,000 tons a year.
This winter season city crews have broken down some of the salt to make it into brine with which to pre-treat the roads. This practice uses less salt and allows the city to save its stockpile.
If all the salt isn’t used up this year the city officials have a plan.
“We will eventually use all of our salt whether it’s this year or next year we will use our salt in the winter is really just getting started we had a snow events into the first week of May in the past so we will never say that it’s a mild winter until it’s completely done,” Public Service Director Paul Rasmusson said.
Toledo residents who need to make requests for winter-weather street service should call Engage Toledo at 419-936-2020.