A look inside Wayne County's salt distribution process each winter
Should 4 to 5 inches of snow arrive as predicted Dec. 21-23, Wayne County plow trucks will be ready to clear the roads.
The county prepares its plow trucks and salt in advance to ensure road conditions are as safe as possible. To prevent icy roads, "salt trucks are kept loaded with salt and ready to go 24 hours a day, seven days a week in anticipation of snowfalls," according to Wayne County's website.
Wayne County's division director of roads, Steve Shaya, said the county has the capacity to store about 80,000 tons of salt, however, restocking may be necessary depending on this winter's conditions. Over 100,000 tons of salt is typically distributed in Wayne County each year.
"We monitor the weather very closely through different weather agencies," he said. "It all depends on Mother Nature."
Detroit Salt Co., Michigan's only rock salt mine since 1997, supplies the county with all of its salt.
How are salt trucks prepared for the winter?
Trucks line up by the dome as the loader operator scoops up and loads salt into the tandem axles, which hold about 10-12 tons for each truck. Then they are stored inside the buildings until needed.
During or after a snowstorm, truck drivers plow the routes to which they are assigned and apply salt using a spinner attached to the back of the truck.
Each district has its own set of routes to which salt is distributed, Shaya said. Wayne County has 12 salt dome yards that vary in size and 99 routes to cover.
"Standards call for 500-800 pounds of salt to be applied to each two-lane mile of pavement," according to Wayne County. "A single salt run for a truck can use up to 12 tons of salt, depending upon truck size."
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How to know if roads near you have been cleared
"A lot of times trucks are out before it starts snowing," said Director of Communications Tiffani Jackson.
Residents are encouraged to follow Wayne County's social media pages for updates on weather and road conditions, winter storm readiness and more.
The Wayne County Compass App also allows people to track where Wayne County service trucks have been in real-time as they plow and salt roads.
Why are salt storages dome-shaped?
The structures' dome shape allows the loading truck to easily pour salt in to restock or scoop salt out for distribution. The high interior allows uninterrupted movement.
"The loader has a five-yard bucket on it," Shaya said. "We have to be able to go in and out."
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Why is the salt blue?
An anti-caking agent is poured over the salt to keep it from crystallizing and sticking together. It preserves the salt and makes delivery easier.
For their own safety, drivers are asked to keep their distance from plow trucks as they clear the roads, Jackson said. Don't crowd the plow.
Contact Nour Rahal: nrahal@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: A look inside Wayne County's salt distribution process each winter
