Columbia Public Works uses 500 tons of salt mix over weekend

The ice storm that descended on mid-Missouri between Friday through Sunday did not hit as hard as weather forecasters predicted.

Columbia Public Works crews used about 500 tons of salt mixture over the weekend.

During a Dec. 16-18 ice storm in mid-Missouri, Columbia Public works used about 1,400 tons of salt mixture.

Steven Sapp, head of community relations for the city of Columbia, said crews used less this weekend because ice stayed on the roads shorter time and crews did not treat residential roads.

Correction 1/17: Columbia Public Works received about 300 tons of salt mix in preparation for the ice storm over the weekend, not 1,500 like Barry Dalton originally said.

Barry Dalton, a public information officer for Columbia Public Works, said crews had 5,000 tons of salt mix on hand at the beginning of the winter season. They used 1,400 tons in one weekend in December, 650 tons during last week’s snow event, received another 300 tons in preparation for this weekend’s ice storm and then used 500 tons. The city has about 2,750 tons of salt mix left for the rest of winter.

Dalton said Columbia Public Works wasn’t more prepared for the ice storm this weekend or less prepared for the ice storm in December. He said the department is always prepared, always monitors the forecasts and waits until the very last moment to decide how many crews should be working and what time they should start treating roads.