Roselle preparing for salt shortage

To compensate for a regional shortage of road salt, Roselle officials are trying conserve resources while keeping roads safe.

This winter, the village will continue plowing while using less salt. Workers also will rely on pre-emptive measures, such as applying brine - a chemical that delays the accumulation of ice and snow accumulate on pavement.

In her recent State of the Village address, Roselle Mayor Gayle Smolinski warned residents that road conditions might be more difficult if this year's winter proves as harsh as 2007-08.

"Road salt is an issue for us - both getting enough of it and the effect the inflated price has on our budget," Smolinski said.

Previously, the village paid $40 per ton for 1,200 tons, or $48,000 per year. But due to last year's rough winter, many municipalities ran out of salt supplies before the season ended. This caused prices to more than triple while supplies shrunk.

This winter, Roselle is paying more than $120 per ton, or $144,000.

"They started with no reserves and they haven't been able to mine the salt as fast as we need," Smolinski said during the address.

Most of the main roads running through Roselle - including Lake Street, Gary Avenue, Irving Park Road, Roselle Road and Nerge Road - are maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation or DuPage County. But the village is responsible for most of the side streets and residential areas.

According to a village notice, public works crews will aim to clear all streets and cul-de-sacs cleared of snow within a day after the snow has stopped falling. In addition, officials warn residents to be aware of speed limits (all local roads in Roselle have a speed limit of 30 mph or less, except for Central Avenue), and to drive carefully.

"If we have a winter like we did last yer, please know that we may not be able to salt as frequently and adjust driving accordingly," Smolinski said in her address.

For more details, visit roselle.il.us.