The Reason Why Salt Isn’t Always Effective On Illinois Roads

Have you ever wondered why roads are still icy even though plow trucks have dumped salt all over them? The answer is simple; it's science's fault.

No Tolerance for Icy Roads

Now that winter finally decided to makes its appearance in Illinois, several frigid days and snow are ice are on the horizon. Road crews have been working hard to clear snow and throw down salt so they roads don't get icy, but sometimes Mother Nature has other plans.

Pretty soon we will see skating rinks everywhere we look. Driveways, decks, parking lots and roads will all be covered in patches of ice no matter how hard we all try to prevent it,  and there's one big scientific reason why.

Why Is Salt Sometimes Ineffective on Illinois Roads?

Basically, salt lowers the freezing point of water, but it is far less effective when temperatures fall below 25 degrees.

Here's why according to a Spectrum News 1 article;

When temperatures are that cold, the salt simply can't get into the structure of the frozen water or ice to start the dissolving and melting process.

Temperatures are expected to hover around and below zero in Northern Illinois this week, so salting roads, sidewalks, driveways and parking lots might not be that effective.

So, until temps warm up a little, proceed with caution, both on foot and behind the wheel. You might want to perfect your penguin waddle too so you don't slip and fall on hidden patches of ice.

Be careful out there!

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