Salt brine being used more often on icy roads around Colorado

Salt brine, or concentrated salt water, is becoming a more common tool for road and street crews in the Colorado Springs area against ice and snow.

El Paso County will begin using the material this season after acquiring and installing equipment last year.

The Colorado Department of Transportation started using salt brine last year.

“We can make it ourselves, it’s half as expensive as magnesium chloride but just as effective and it’s not as harmful to the environment,” said Brad Bauer, a CDOT supervisor.

For the same reasons, salt brine is spreading among road and street crews nationally.

Colorado Springs, however, is not using the material.