GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Region of the Michigan Department of Transportation has a stockpile of 34,000 tons of salt for winter’s first snows.
That’s only the beginning. Last year, MDOT went through 44,000 tons of salt despite the warm and dry winter. That cost $7.2 million at $58 a ton and 68 pounds of salt for every man, woman, and child in the state.
This year, the salt budget is $10.5 million, says John Richard at MDOT. That amount is budgeted for the entire fiscal year.
The MDOT Grand Region serves Ionia, Kent, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, and Ottawa counties.
