An economic assessment of the social costs of highway salting and the efficiency of substituting a new deicing material

The use of salt for deicing roads results in costs estimated at more than $800 per ton-including the costs of repair and maintenance of roads and bridges, vehicle corrosion costs, and loss of aesthetic value through roadside tree damage. Additionally, there are probable health costs related to elevated sodium levels in drinking water. The new Surface Transportation Act of 1991 appears to replace the previous federal funding policy that was biased against the use of calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) with a new subsidy for its purchase that may lead to inefficient overuse.