Effects of Utilizing Liquids In a Pre-mix Application Method. Gerald Peterson Manager Manistee County Road Commission, MI

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1 Effects of Utilizing Liquids In a Pre-mix Application Method Gerald Peterson Manager Manistee County Road Commission, MI

2 Background The Manistee County Road Commission has been tracking winter costs for (5) years. Tracking snowfall amounts, type of precipitation and air temperature. We have found that not just one product or material is the fix all it takes several. Climate, air temperature, time of year and traffic play a huge roll in product use. Driver training is more critical than any product.

3 Five-Year Comparison Study 2007 Calcium Chloride 2008 Geo-Melt / Ice Bite 2009 Boost 2010 Ice Bite being used 2011 Ice Bite and Calc. Chloride

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6 Note: Boost saw no decrease in application rate re-freeze & hardpack evident. Ice-bite saw a decrease in application rate after 3-4 applications little to no hard-pack.

7 M55 Day 1 13 degrees 300# M115 Day 1 3 degrees 300#

8 M55 Last Day 14 degrees 450# M115 Last Day 12 degrees 200#

9 Recommendations In Early Winter / Late Spring: Use pure salt method or 50/50 with calcium chloride mix to reduce bounce & scatter. Pure salt on high dew point days, 50/50 otherwise. In Colder Winter Temperatures & Steady Snowfall: Pure salt with beet juice (or 50/50 mix when freezing rain or ice is present). Temperatures at 20 degrees or colder. Keep In Mind! All Drivers Should Be Trained In: The specific liquid being used How the materials work How fast the materials work in specific conditions

10 COUNTY WINTER MATERIAL ANALYSES SEASON CSALT TONS TOTAL TOTAL AVE SALT COST TOTAL COST YE SNOW COST QTY COST PER TON CNTY MTRLS TOTALS PER INCH , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,313 TOTALS 2, , , , , , , , , , CSAND - YDS AVE SALT COST TOTAL COST TOTAL COST PER CYD SALT/SAND W / LIQUIDS , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , TOTALS 2, , , , , , , CALCHLRD - GAL (BOOST) AVE SALT COST PER GAL , , , TOTALS 1, ICEBITE - GAL (GEOMELT) AVE SALT COST PER GAL , , , , , , , TOTALS 2, , , , , , , , , ,428.78

11 NOTHING SUGAR BEET BOOST ICE_BITE WET SALT COMBO as of as of as of $ 329, $ 262, $ 303, $ 313, avg temp

12 Winter weather findings to date: As you can see from my attached spreadsheets, the Road Commission in 2007 used no pile treatment and the net result was $8, per event on county primary roads, with average temperatures during events at 20.6 degrees. We utilized 3,000 tons of salt that season as well. In 2008 the Road Commission used Ice-Bite mixed at 6 gallons per ton preseason pile treatment as directed and realized a net result of $6, per event, with average temperatures at 18.8 degrees. We utilized 2,272 tons of salt that year which is a 25% reduction from 2007 season. It needs to also be noted that in 2008 the Road Commission net increase of fringe benefits and payroll (due to raises) was up approximately 5%, but we still recognized a $1, per event savings. We then switched products in 2009 season to Boost, as recommended by MDOT and pile treated exactly the same way we did in The net result as of is $6, per event, or $ increase per event from last year, with average temperatures during events at 20.4 degrees, we also utilized 2,363 tons of salt that year as well. It must also be noted that the Road Commission did not give pay raises and also recognized a decrease in fringe benefits due to the change of health care providers, this adds up to approximately a 2% decrease in fringe benefits. We did a side by side comparison mid winter with Boost on M55 and Ice Bite on M115 for one week, the results at the end of the week were very clear. M55 was getting 450 pounds of salt per lane mile applied still and had hard pack on it, while M115 was down to 250 pounds per lane mile as was relatively clear of all snow. We then switched back to Ice-Bite in 2010 to see if we could recognize the same results as was shown in The salt from the dock was delivered to us with an extreme amount of water from heavy rains prior. We struggled to get just 4 gallons of Ice Bite into the salt without it running out of the salt. The entire season was difficult due to the wet salt. We ended the season with a net increase per event from our 2008 Ice Bite year of $1,150, with average temperatures per event at degrees. We also utilized 2,243 tons of salt that year as well. There were also other factors that contributed to the increase such as pay increases and fringe benefit increases which contributed to a 2% overall wage and fringe benefit increase Season it was decided to try a combination of Ice Bite (at 6 gallons per ton) or Calcium Chloride at 26% chlorides (at 9 gallons per ton). We did not pile treat preseason, rather treated small piles one week in advance. We did not create any pile with calcium chloride, only treated the loads as we loaded. We ended up using 2,700 gallons of Ice Bite and the same in calcium chloride and a lot of days no treatment was utilized at all. The net result was an increase of 50% from 2008 and also and increase in per event cost of $3,220, with an average temperature per event of 21.7 degrees. We utilized 3,253 tons of salt as well. There are two factors that must be noted however that the 2011 season was mostly weekend snow events and was coupled with extreme wind events that added to the need for salt and blading even during non event days. And we also recognized a 2% increase in wages and fringe benefits this year as well. I believe these would account for approximately 50% of the increase, but the other 50% is due to lack of pile treatment and liquids in the salt.

13 QUESTIONS???