UW-Madison spokesperson Kelly Tyrrell said the Facilities department uses salt as needed to keep its 13 miles of roads and 60 miles of sidewalks safe for use. Staff minimize salt usage by closing off redundant sidewalks and stairs on campus, using brine on roads if able and avoiding using salt while it’s actively snowing. Staff is trained to use the minimum amount of salt and opt for removing snow with plows or shovels.
“Exceptions can occur on machines intended to distribute bulk salt. For example, plow trucks upon start-up can unintentionally drop a bit more salt,” Tyrrell said. “(The Facilities department) has long been focused on reducing salt use wherever and whenever possible.”