Why is the Dodge County Highway Department anti-icing brine on dry roads on clear days?
This is becoming a common question and for good reason. We are currently experiencing an unusual weather pattern for mid-December. Warm days result in sweating pavement.
Freezing nights result in frosty pavement. Frosty pavement is not anticipated by motorists; consequently, we are experiencing more than the usual number of runoffs, especially during the early morning commute time. Drivers are unaware of these conditions and cannot see the frost in many cases. We have decided to be pro-active and apply brine to sections of highways that meet the following criteria as a cost-effective way to prevent run-offs and crashes:
Bridges, ramps, hills, curves, intersections, and shaded areas
State highways (WIDOT encourages this treatment on their system)
Select County highways
New /smooth pavement
Concrete pavement
Applying brine is a fast, cost-effective option to protect these types of areas from early morning frost conditions. Our drivers can apply a very low-cost product at a much faster pace than a salt truck. They are on regular time as opposed to overtime. This treatment is typically effective for 3-5 days. Dodge County anti-icing material is a blend of water, salt, and a product that reduces corrosion. This additive effectively reduces corrosion and damage to County trucks and residents’ vehicles.
