© 2024 WNMU-FM
Upper Great Lakes News, Music, and Arts & Culture
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Road salt prices skyrocket

ANN ARBOR, MI (AP)--   With summer temperatures, who's thinking about winter road salt? Road agencies are — and they're seeing higher prices. 

The County Road Association of Michigan says there's sticker shock out there.

Washtenaw County is reporting an increase of at least $500,000 for the next winter. Road Commission operations director Jim Harmon says the "budget hits just keep on coming."

The Kent County Road Commission expects to pay $66 a ton, more than double the price from a decade ago.

Denise Donohue, director of the County Road Association, says it's a matter of supply and demand, especially after salt reserves were pounded last winter. The association says the average cost statewide will be up nearly 50 percent.