Racine Co. DPW Director calls salt situation there "critical"

RACINE COUNTY (WITI) -- We've seen a pretty decent amount of snow this winter -- and now that we're headed into February, there is concern in some areas over whether there will be enough salt to keep the roads safe for the remainder of winter. In Racine, the Public Works Director calls the salt situation "critical" -- though she insists there is enough to continue to keep the roads clear.

Jason Rasmussen is an electrician who spends portions of his work day traveling. He says this winter, he hasn't had too many issues.

"I haven't had any issues with them. They've been pretty good," Rasmussen said.

Keeping the roads clear comes with a cost.

"Our salt supplies are, I would like to call it 'critical condition.' We are not out of salt. We have salt, but what we are doing is, we are trying to use it very smartly, very resourcefully," Racine County Public Works Director Julie Anderson said.

Anderson says this means applying a two parts sand, one part salt mixture to county roads in an effort to stretch out the salt supply.

"In just the first three-and-a-half weeks of January, 2014, we have used close to 6,700 tons of salt," Anderson said.

That's nearly one-quarter of the approximately 27,000 tons of salt used during all of 2013. However, Anderson insists the DPW is going to great lengths to secure more salt.

"Right now, the salt coming to Racine County is actually coming from Green Bay. We have contractors that have been telling us they`re getting salt from as far away as St. Louis, the state of Iowa," Anderson said.

Anderson says the county will continue to do whatever it can to keep the roads clear with the resources available.