Drivers in Mid-Michigan may notice fewer salt trucks on neighborhood streets as multiple communities report low road salt supplies this winter.
In Jackson, city officials say staffing issues at a Detroit-area supplier have slowed salt deliveries. The city is receiving fewer truckloads than usual, leaving crews with limited supplies as winter storms move through.
“We’re not out of salt, we are just running low,” said Mike Osborn, Jackson’s director of public works. “Deliveries keep coming in, but they are less than full. Jackson can get through this storm.”
In Fowlerville, public works crews say the shortage is forcing them to prioritize where salt is used. Crews are focusing on major intersections, railroad crossings, and traffic signals, meaning some neighborhood streets may not be treated as often, especially as dangerously cold temperatures settle in.
Similar issues are being reported elsewhere in Michigan. According to reporting from CBS News Detroit, road crews in parts of Metro Detroit and southeast Michigan are using salt at a much faster pace than in recent winters, prompting counties to carefully manage how much salt they distribute.
Other counties reported having salt on hand but acknowledged supplies are running lower than normal due to frequent storms and prolonged cold.
State and local road agencies emphasized that roads will continue to be treated, but conservation measures are being used to help ensure salt remains available through the rest of the winter.
