Sand Springs Says Salt Too Expensive To Use On Roads

Communities across Green Country threw their entire arsenal into battling the weekend's icy assault.

Sand Springs left the salt on the table and just used sand to treat their roads. The city said it all comes down to money.

Officials said buying salt and using it to melt ice covered streets is too expensive and causes more damage to the streets, which is why the city just uses sand.

Zachary Tallent's car was towed away after he left it along Highway 412. It's been there since the snow started falling Friday.

"I knew I just had to get my car away from there, so I just drove it down here and left it," he said.

Tallent said cars were sliding everywhere on the slick roads.

Four cars crashed on steep Highway 97-T when the road got slick from freezing rain and became impossible to drive on.

2/28/2015 Related Story: Sand Springs Police Department Gives Road Conditions Update Sunday

Sand Springs Police closed the highway and parts of 41st Street for several hours until the ice could thaw.

“You couldn't even drive down here even if you wanted to until everything melted. Today, I don't even think today is that great," Tallent said.

Sand Springs street crews only use sand and plows on its roads, even in hilly areas of the city. Assistant Chief Mike Carter, with Sand Springs Police said it all comes down to money.

"It really comes down to a use of taxpayer dollars," he said.

Carter said salt is expensive and smaller cities like Sand Springs can't always afford it.

"The decision has always been made to use that budget money for other things that can be more productive year-round rather than the once or twice a year we have a snow storm," Carter said.

He said salt doesn't always help melt the ice and causes damage to roads and bridges.

People who live off of the city's steep roads know there are benefits to just using sand.

"I don't really care for the salt being on the vehicle, but sand is good. It gives you traction," said Sand Springs resident, Howard Anderson.

Sometimes you just have to wait for the roads to thaw out.

"I've been up and down that thing (Highway 97) with snow. Unbelievable slick and very steep you just don't have any room for improvement," said Anderson.

Sand Springs still had school Monday.