Sustainable Road Salting Practices: Measuring Pavement Temperature

This fact sheet outlines the practice of measuring pavement temperatures for sustainable road salt use. By measuring pavement temperatures, snow fighters can know whether it is too cold for rock salt to be effective or if salt is not needed as pavement temperatures are above freezing. The product most commonly used to prevent ice from forming on roads and other hard surfaces is sodium chloride. Sodium chloride is only effective at reducing the freezing point of water down to pavement temperatures of 15F. Alternatively, if pavement temperatures are above freezing, no salt is needed.