Road salt is cheaper than table salt, but it’s still around $65 a ton, and by mid-January – less than halfway through the 2013-2014 winter season – Cranberry had already used more than 5,000 tons. However, cutting back on the volume of salt used has more than just economic benefits, it also helps assure that even in a severe winter, there will still be enough available at reasonable prices to replenish dwindling supplies. Beyond that, if it’s done properly, it can even provide improved winter road conditions. So, several years ago, in an effort to improve road treatment and make more efficient use of its salt inventory, Cranberry acquired a brine-making and storage system. It allows Public Works personnel to create a precisely calibrated solution of saline water which is sprayed on roads – sometimes in combination with magnesium chloride – moments before the salt is applied. The result: better salt adhesion to the road surface, improved effectiveness at colder temperatures, less salt required per lane mile, and less money spent on road salt. For more information, contact Streets Manager Bob Howland at bob.howland@cranberrytownship.org.