December 28, 2018 at 4:08 p.m.
Oneida County Highway Department brining state roads in pilot program
Stefonek: 'What it does is help us fight the storm'
Oneida County Highway Department brining state roads in pilot program
By By Abigail Bostwick-
"The bottom line is, the state started out watching other states (that brine highways)," observed Oneida County Highway Commissioner Bruce Stefonek. "We designated a few Oneida County plow routes as brine only."
Oneida County is one of 20 counties chosen to receive dollars from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) for a pilot program to purchase high-capacity brine makers.
"This will enable us to put more brine trucks on the road in the future," said Stefonek.
Five years ago, the county had one truck capable of brining. It now has four. They are, however, small, according to Stefonek. Trucks have to frequently return to refill on the brine solution and go back to treat roads.
"We want to brine the whole highway, but we don't have the equipment," said the highway commissioner.
Tanker trucks cost more, but they are more effective in dispersing the brine. Ultimately, saving Oneida County money. The pilot program will assist the county in acquiring storage tanks and a brine maker, he added.
Oneida County has 10 state plow routes, explained Stefonek. They have, thus far, been brining, or "liquid only," one of those routes as part of the pilot program.
"To date, on average, we use 10.4 tons of rock salt per route," said Stefonek. "If we convert that to brine, it's 4.56 tons...we are using considerably less salt."
Less salt on the roads not only equates to a large cost savings for the county and ultimately the taxpayer, but also is much more environmentally-friendly, he noted.
"That much less salt is going off the pavement and into lakes and streams," said Stefonek. "The DOT is pushing brining not only for cost-savings, but also to prevent contamination of the environment."
This year, the county highway department aims to brine other state routes in the pilot program. Roads are "pre-brined" before a major expected snow event. This means highway crew put down the liquid brine prior to the storm.
"What that does is get a layer of salt down. It leaves a layer on the pavement," said Stefonek. "The residue helps not let the snow and ice bond to the blacktop."
When the snow or rain begins, the road is already primed for traction control for traffic, indicated Stefonek.
Before, rock salt would be put down on already fallen snow and ice, melting over time and creating a brine, which takes longer.
"If we put it down, it starts working faster because it's already brine," Stefonek said. "What it does is help us fight the storm. So prior to the event, and when it's all said and done, we use less salt...it is a savings."
All data will be collected and issued to the state to determine the best percentages for brining in the future. This data includes air temperature, road temperature, wind, snow/ice, snow only or ice/snow events, application rates and outcomes.
As the thermometer drops lower and lower, a mixture of salt and sand will still be used to help control icy conditions on state and county roadways, indicated Stefonek.
The highway commissioner stressed that county highway highway employees do all they can with brining based on temperature regions and daily temperature. Wisconsin, which has several zones from north to south, will not experience the same conditions county to county and every county's brining success and conditions will vary, Stefonek explained.
There will always remain conditions where Wisconsin counties need to use some rock salt and sand, such as in very cold weather.
Under 20 degrees, rock salt loses some properties and effectiveness, noted Stefonek. Usage has reached an all-time high, which leads to a negative effect on the environment and county budgets.
The move towards brining statewide seems like an excellent idea, Stefonek concluded.
"We proved it to ourselves with our pilot route, and it's been proven (to work) in other states," he said. "Almost all snow states are trying some kind of brine, liquid-only...it's in its infancy but it's only going to be getting more effective."
The county will continue the pilot program this year. It now needs tankers and inserts that will work on current sanders that will convert them to be able to brine as it moves forward.
Brine trucks are essentially plow trucks with a tank mounted in the back equipped with a spray bar and nozzles, explained Oneida County highway foreman Alex Hegeman.
"That way, the truck can plow and spray brine at the same time," Hegeman noted.
The Oneida County Highway Department looks forward to the potential upgrades in future years.
"We will save a lot of money, and save the environment," Stefonek observed of brining as a potential future longterm, countywide practice.
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