OKC Looks To Shore Up Salt Reserves Ahead Of Winter

Road crews' biggest weapon fighting slick and icy streets is salt, but nationwide, salt is in demand. In fact, the city told News 9, when the first flakes of season fell, it was short on salt.

“The demand is just so much higher this year,” said Shannon Cox with OKC Public Works.

Demand is higher in places that still remember the chill from the long winter the last go ‘round. In fact, salt promised to OKC was sold elsewhere, without warning, just last month.

“It was nerve racking,” said Cox, who also said the city considered having the salt barged into the Port of Catoosa and then trucked into the Metro.

Prices this year have skyrocketed to at least 30% higher from last year. Fortunately, another vender was secured at the last minute in Kansas and the city started spending its $120,000 salt budget. On Tuesday, the salt shipments started to arrive.

Before the arrival, the city tells News 9 it only had enough salt to cover 1,100 plus miles of snow routes for two snow storms. Now, OKC says it's ready for the long winter.