Salty thoroughfares

We've had a good, bracing winter, fresh air, blue skies, sparkling ice, pure white snow, weeks of sub-zero temperatures, but for most people that's enough, now. All week long, the ice caused by the freeze after the sudden, brief thaw on February 18th has been solid and slippery underfoot.

On our walks, Chris and I have avoided the pathways through the riverside parks and kept to the roadside; even on the sidewalks we've had to watch our step across the untreated patches*. Last night we tried crossing the park and found it so hard to balance on the rough ice that we resorted to walking on the snow, not very deep this year. That had a hard crust too.

* We're grateful for the security and convenience that results from the winter maintenance, but where does all the salt go, that's strewn on our icy pavements? Some of it gets stuck to the chassis of our cars, turning them, and our clothes when they rub against it, white—an annoyance that we all tolerate for the duration. As for the run-off, which must ultimately make its way into our rivers, the city of Ottawa claims to have a "salt management program":

The City uses road salt (crushed rock salt- Sodium Chloride) for snow and ice control on roads to ensure public safety. [...] In large quantities, salt can damage roadside vegetation and contaminate surface and groundwater. The Salt Management Strategy provides an approach for engaging a variety of winter maintenance technologies such as establishing a Road Weather Information System (RWIS), forecasting of road-conditions, investigating and adopting technologies such as pre-wetting and anti-icing and researching alternative methods and products. These activities help decrease the quantity of salt used.

Ontario's Ministry of Transportation also keeps an eye on road salt management. Imagine the <600,000 tonnes of salt that's used on Ontario's roads each year and let's hope the Ministry is vigilant.