As a result of last month’s severe, winter storms, West Michigan has the potential to running low on road salt. If needed, county officials are preparing to obtain additional materials from across the state.

While the Ottawa County Road Commission (OCRC) remains confident about the amount of salt left in its reserves, any additional salt for Kent County will need to be transported from Detroit.

Communications Administrator for the OCRC Alex Doty acknowledged that Ottawa, as well as many other counties, have depleted their supply faster than usual, however he believes Ottawa County is not at risk of running out.

Doty said county officials remain attentive to the salt supply so as to avoid any issues the rest of this winter. Many counties, including Ottawa, have had to prioritize salting main intersections and high-traffic routes over local streets to conserve the supply. 

“We’re being cognizant of what we’re using and trying to be strategic about it so we hopefully don’t run into any problems down the road,” Doty said. 

Each year, the road commission evaluates previous winters and the amount of salt that was used. They also try to estimate the severity of upcoming winters, always factoring in the possibility of harsh storms. Doty said that Ottawa County does a good job of estimating the amount needed each year, and usually orders more than needed.

According to Doty, this year’s salt supply has been impacted by an early winter and back-to-back storms, which swept through the Midwest in early January, bringing record-breaking temperatures, ice and heavy snowfall. The prolonged cold requires more frequent salting of roads and sidewalks than usual.

“If we were getting lower, we might change the mix up a bit where we use more sand or other materials and then try to ration as best we can,” Doty said. 

According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, the state orders salt based on a five-year average of snowfall totals, and can obtain more at any point if needed.