Salt supplies
around the Midwest have been a concern for most of the 2025-2026 winter season.
Small but frequent snow events–along with multiple freezing rains–have resulted
in municipalities, counties, and private contractors using much more
salt than usual–certainly more than in the recent past with its milder winters.
The supply issue is mostly due to large salt suppliers not being able to bring
enough material to the ports along Lake Michigan earlier in the year and the
logistical challenges of getting it there, now, in winter.
While most
counties and cities have enough supply to get through this winter, there are no
reserves and the prices have doubled–or even tripled–in some cases. The City of
Merrill will have salt for the rest of winter; however, we will be
adjusting our operations to conserve as much salt as possible in order to
reserve it for when it’s most needed and to shield the taxpayers from
overspending on overpriced salt. These amended operations will include using a
sand/salt mixture on the main roads that would normally get treated with
straight salt. This will result in some snow covered streets, even after our
plowing operations are done, instead of the bare pavement you may be accustomed
to.
Public safety
will still remain our top priority when it comes to winter road maintenance;
however, the City realizes that it needs to balance this with keeping costs in
check. Our crews will strive to keep the roads clear while realizing the
economic concerns.
Please reach
out to Street Superintendent Dustin Bonack with any questions or concerns. He
can be reached at (715) 536-4222 or Streets@ci.merrill.wi.us
