ODOT to use rock salt this winter on I-84 in NE Oregon

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) – Oregon officials plan to use rock salt this winter on the section of Interstate 84 between Boardman and the Idaho border that is often closed by snow and ice.
 
Oregon Department of Transportation spokesman Peter Murphy tells the East Oregonian (http://bit.ly/2vsjO6M) that the salt will be used in the mountains when other methods aren’t clearing the ice and snow.
 
Oregon has previously avoided using rock salt due to its corrosive effect on asphalt, bridges and vehicles, and concerns about runoff into soil and streams.
 
But officials say rock salt can quickly cut through snow and ice and perhaps help prevent the crashes and closures that are frequent on that section of the Interstate.