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YOUNGSTOWN -- The Mahoning County engineer wants residents to be wary as winter driving season begins, especially given the regional shortage of rock salt.
Engineer Pat Ginnetti warned Thursday that the closure of Morton Salt’s mine in Fairport Harbor will likely leave the county and dozens of other communities throughout northeast Ohio with only about one-third of their contracted road salt supplies this winter.
Ginnetti's comments come just days after Austintown Township Administrator Mark D'Apolito issued a similar warning to residents in that township.
On Thursday, Ginnetti told Mahoning County commissioners that the mine, which supplies communities in Mahoning, Trumbull, Ashtabula, Lake, Geauga and Portage counties, has been closed for roughly three weeks because of water infiltration.
"Obviously, the contract’s with ODOT (Ohio Department of Transportation) so Morton is communicating directly with ODOT, and ODOT is relaying those findings to us as they get them. It’s been three weeks now since the announcement, and there’s really not a solid answer on what the solution is. What we’re being told is Morton has approximately 50,000 tons on the ground," Ginnetti said.
Morton proposes distributing that amount proportionately among communities participating in ODOT’s cooperative purchasing program.
That would provide communities with roughly 32% of their contracted supplies.
Ginnetti said Mahoning County typically purchases between 8,000 and 10,000 tons of salt annually, but could receive as little as 2,500 tons this winter.
"So with the uncertainty walking right into winter, we’re certainly not going to be able to find another supplier that has the quantity or the price that we committed to or were committed to through the ODOT salt contract," he said. "So we are in a lot of discussions, trying to determine how we’re going to handle this. For those that don’t know, we get one option to buy salt. We use our historical data trends to put in a best guess on how much we’re going to need for the winter."
Ginnetti said the county submits its expected purchase order in March and learns the price in May or June. Under the terms of the ODOT contract, the county must purchase at least 90% of that amount and can purchase up to 110%.
"We do have some salt left over from last year so we’re going to do the best we can to just stretch it as best we can and hope that it’s a mild winter," he said. "I know the talks, with El Nino coming in, temperatures might be warmer but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to use less salt. When you have higher temperatures oftentimes you have a lot of freeze-thaw events, and whenever you have overnight freezing we’re going out using a lot of salt."
Ginnetti estimated purchasing salt from other sources could cost four to five times the county’s contracted price, assuming sufficient quantities are available, and he did not seem optimistic that they would be.
He said he has asked state officials whether Morton could increase production at its other mines or whether competing suppliers, including Cargill, Compass Minerals and American Rock Salt, could help fill the shortage. Those questions remain unanswered.
Ginnetti also said the extent of the mine’s flooding and the prospects for reopening remain unclear.
He said he expects to hold a press conference once additional information becomes available from ODOT.
Commissioner Carol Rimedio-Righetti asked Ginnetti about other options like salinated brine and calcium chloride.
Ginnetti said the county plans to use liquid brine to help stretch its limited road salt supplies, but that practice is usually intended to enhance the effectiveness of road salt rather than replace it. Calcium chloride can also be used in liquid form, he said, although it is more expensive.
On the heels of Ginnetti's warnings about slick roads through the winter, Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency Director Conner O’Halloran warned that the season’s first snowfall and icy conditions - expected this weekend - can create dangerous driving conditions. He encouraged motorists to give road crews plenty of room to work and reminded residents to check their carbon monoxide detectors as heating systems are brought back into use.
"Give the road workers room to work. We don’t want to increase the hazards out there," he said. "The first snow and the ice of the year is always kind of problematic. But with that now, the heating systems are starting to fire, or if we do experience power outages, carbon monoxide safety is absolutely paramount. So, make sure you have carbon monoxide detectors in your homes and if you do have to use a generator, it’s done appropriately and safely."
O'Halloran emphasized the importance of road safety not just for the road workers, but ensuring they can do their jobs and keep roads clear so the county's emergency services can respond quickly and effectively.
"Be safe on the roads. Give the guys plenty of room to work. If they’re not out there, we can’t be out there," he said.
Ginnetti echoed those concerns, noting that construction crews remain active despite the approaching end of construction season.
He pointed to the recent death of a 45-year-old ODOT bridge worker who was struck by a semitrailer in a construction zone on Interstate 70 in Muskingum County.
“When you’re driving through the construction zone, slow down, pay attention,” Ginnetti said. “Oftentimes, the zones are a little more narrow because there’s people working. All these people want to return home to their families.”
Ginnetti also warned drivers against speeding and using cellphones behind the wheel.
“You don’t realize how fast 25 miles an hour is until you’re standing on the side of the road. 70 miles an hour is even worse,” he said. “Slow down, pay attention, put the phones down, especially this time of year with the weather changing.”