Michigan county: If you can't salt roads, 'beet' em

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By Tiffany Griffin

Story Created: Jul 7, 2008 at 6:55 AM EST

Story Updated: Jul 7, 2008 at 6:55 AM EST

HOWELL, Mich. (AP) — Rising costs of ice removal are leading Livingston County officials to beat their roads to a pulp.

The Detroit News reports the county's road commission plans to use a slurry made from sugar beet pulp mixed with salt brine this winter to keep ice off roads. The product called Geomelt curbs corrosion on cars and roads because it uses less salt.

But the bigger benefit may be to the bottom line: Officials say using the agricultural byproduct is expected to trim 25 percent from the county's $4 million snow and ice removal budget.

Record snowfalls and rising costs of road salt have prompted the search for alternatives. A group of Oakland County communities began using Geomelt last year.

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