If you’ve ever been driving in winter and noticed stripes on an otherwise dry road surface, you’ve probably seen brine in action. Brine is a liquid mixture of salt and water that’s applied to roads and sidewalks before a winter storm. Unlike traditional rock salt that’s spread after snow falls, brining works as an anti-icing treatment, preventing snow and ice from bonding to pavement in the first place. That makes plowing more effective, improves safety, and significantly reduces the amount of salt needed overall.
Brine is Better than rock salt
Brining offers several advantages over spreading dry rock salt:
- It stays in place. Because it’s a liquid, it adheres to pavement instead of bouncing or being blown away by traffic and wind.
- It works faster. Brine starts working immediately to lower the freezing point of water, while rock salt needs moisture to activate.
- It uses much less salt. This is the big one. Brining can reduce salt use dramatically while still keeping roads safe.
- It’s better for the environment. Less salt on surfaces means less chloride washing into lakes, streams and groundwater.
- It saves money. Using less material and applying it more efficiently helps stretch winter maintenance budgets.
When conditions require it, brining can still be supplemented with traditional salt, either mechanically or by hand. But starting with brine means crews often need far less salt overall. For residents, rock salt or other de-icing materials are still the best option (after shoveling!) because applying brine requires special equipment and calibration.
If you see stripes on the road, it’s not only a sign that a winter storm is coming. It’s a sign that local winter maintenance crews are serious about keeping roads clear while protecting our water from excessive salt.
Read about brining for winter maintenance professionals in our article titled “How winter maintenance professionals can make the most of brine.” Visit Wisconsin Salt Wise for more information on brining, winter snow removal techniques and using less salt in winter. Or, for general salt reduction tips, visit our chloride reduction pages.
