Tollway spends to restock depleted road salt supplies

SPRINGFIELD -- As the winter season crawls to an end, the ice and snow storms that blanketed the state have put a hole in not just the roads, but also salt supplies.

In response, tollway officials recently announced $700,000 would be spent on replenishing depleted stockpiles.

Cargill, a Minnesota-based company, agreed to sell 11,800 tons of salt to the agency.

The tollway isn't the only agency or municipality in recent weeks spending more than planned on road salt.

The Illinois Department of Transportation has asked lawmakers for $8.3 million for salt supplies. In Palatine, officials agreed to the purchase of about 1,000 additional tons of salt to continue to keep roads safe.

"Winter started a little early, and not only have we had snow, but we had ice storms as well," said tollway spokeswoman Joelle McGinnis. "We have used above and beyond the normal expenditures for all types of winter supplies, and hopefully it's coming to an end."