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Quebec town swaps out salt for eco-friendly wood chips on icy roads

Discussion in 'Everything Else (off topic)' started by Sean, Jan 23, 2018.

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  1. Sean

    Sean

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    This sounds kind of interesting. Anyone else see it used on roads before? I could see spreading out wood chips or wood shavings on ice around the yard for traction but I havent thought of it for the streets. It sure would cut down on the gravel and the ensuing dust in the spring, not to mention saving a small fortune from rock chips on your windshield!

    Quebec town swaps out salt for eco-friendly wood chips on icy roads
     
    Sean, Jan 23, 2018
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  2. XXL

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    I have seen hay/straw being used in places where snow and ice isn't normal and they don't have salt or sand, but never wood chips.
     
    XXL, Jan 23, 2018
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  3. Babaganoosh

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    It doesn't say if the chips actually melt ice though. I would think that's an important feature.
     
    Babaganoosh, Jan 23, 2018
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  4. rottiman

    rottiman

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    Brought to you from the land of Poutine, Joe Louie's and Pepsi for breakfast and where smoking is considered a cure for cancer..............:rofl: :lol::rofl: :lol::rofl: :lol:
     
    rottiman, Jan 23, 2018
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  5. Midwinter

    Midwinter

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    Midwinter, Jan 23, 2018
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  6. Midwinter

    Midwinter

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    Midwinter, Jan 23, 2018
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  7. rottiman

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    FB photo winter.jpg
     
    rottiman, Jan 23, 2018
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  8. Sean

    Sean

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    LOL I especially like the last one rottiman there is definitely no wrong time to bbq!
     
    Sean, Jan 23, 2018
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  9. Sean

    Sean

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    likely just traction aid. We use plows around here before adding traction aid.
     
    Sean, Jan 23, 2018
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  10. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    That is an interesting idea. I'd like to see that tried in several places but I wonder what the cost factor would be.
     
    Backwoods Savage, Jan 23, 2018
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  11. Matt Fine

    Matt Fine

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    Around here they tried to replace salt with sand for traction a while back. The result was an expensive project to clean sand out of the storm sewers.
     
    Matt Fine, Jan 23, 2018
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  12. Matt Fine

    Matt Fine

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    If you put them on thick enough and then light them...
     
    Matt Fine, Jan 23, 2018
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  13. Boomstick

    Boomstick Banned

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    Boomstick, Jan 23, 2018
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  14. Sean

    Sean

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    Interesting. We use a gravel sand mix here on the city streets but not sure if they use anything else. I can only think that there isnt enough sand in our mix for it to clog up the drains. We are also a mountainous area so there is definitely some slopage to our drains.
     
    Sean, Jan 23, 2018
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  15. yooperdave

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    yooperdave, Jan 23, 2018
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  16. Paul bunion

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    I see a large problem happening after the first rain if they are using them on a street that has storm sewers or anything but surface drainage.
    Exactly what I was thinking. Lets broadcast wood chips over every road, then get a heavy rain; what possible bad things can happen when the wood chips plug up the storm drains?
     
    Paul bunion, Jan 23, 2018
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  17. Rowerwet

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    In PA they use fly ash from the coal plants.
    One winter they ran out of salt in the Hanover area. They ended up using the pretzel crumbs from Snyders and Utz.
     
    Rowerwet, Jan 23, 2018
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  18. Midwinter

    Midwinter

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    Midwinter, Jan 24, 2018
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  19. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    I would think the wood chips would be used only in the country rather than in the city. Same with sand. The county regularly uses sand on the roads out here but not in the cities.
     
    Backwoods Savage, Jan 24, 2018
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  20. billb3

    billb3

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    Sounds like they used it just in a couple of icy spots.

    There's one or two places in town here with huge norway spruce trees planted along the south side of east/west streets where the sun doesn't ever shine on the street and constantly have ice patches. Would be a good place to try it.

    Seems to me street sweepers pick up the majority of sand spread during the Winter.
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2018
    billb3, Jan 24, 2018
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