Northampton clears snow-covered roads in new way - WFXG FOX54 Augusta - Your News One Hour Earlier

Northampton clears snow-covered roads in new way

Early Monday afternoon, the Northampton DPW had been cleaning off plow trucks and getting ready to salt down the streets to prepare for the snow.

In previous years, the DPW had used a salt and sand mixture to treat the snow-covered roads.

However, this year, they are doing something different by only using salt.

The DPW said the salt is more effective at de-icing the roads, and it also will reduce the amount of energy and time the DPW drivers have to spend on the road.

"When you're treating the same roadway with pure salt … you're basically treating it one time, and one time only. So, this way, you are reducing the number of sanding calls in the same location, and you are also reducing the number of sand because there won't be any that will be picked up in the spring by street sweepers," said Richard Parasiliti, highway superintendent at Northampton's DPW.  

DPW officials told CBS 3 that they used close to $300,000, which is out of its $450,000 annual budget.

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