The Science Behind Salting Roads

The practice of using salt to treat roads dates back to 1938, according to a report by Columbia University. By 2018, an estimated 20 million tons of salt was used each year on roads in the U.S. Today, state transportation agencies spend more than $1 billion a year clearing winter roads. To cut costs and use less salt, some are also turning to other additives such as beet juice. Here’s the science behind it all.