Local TxDOT Crews spent Thursday mixing saltwater brine and treating Texarkana bridges and roadways as a precaution for possible freezing weather this weekend. It is really interesting to see behind the scenes.
In many places, a saltwater brine mixture is spread on roadways instead of crystal salt for icy conditions. The mixture is more effective as it is better at staying in place on bridges than rock salt. The process calls for mixing rock salt and hot water, and the more concentrated the solution the more effective it will be,
Here is a short video of the process of mixing the brine and spreading it out on local bridges.
In cases where we end up with some winter freezing precipitation, it takes more than the salty solution alone to keep roadways clear, but pretreating with salt brine makes it a lot easier to clear icy places on roads and bridges. Locally, we are stocked up on salt and equipment and are prepared to deal with what may come, but we always hope it won’t.
