Because the freezing point of salty water is a lower temperature than pure water, scattering some salt atop ice or snow can help accelerate the melting process, opening up the roads to traffic that much sooner. It's estimated that more than 22 million tons of salt are scattered on the roads of the U.S. annually—about 137 pounds of salt for every American.

cgod:

They dump pea gravel on the roads in Portland as an alternative to salt. After the melt the roads are gravel coated in some areas for weeks. The gravel gets kicked up, chipping windshields occasionally hitting pedestrians. It's super dangerous for motor and bicyclists. I hate it, every corner is a death trap riding your bike in traffic.

posted 3115 days ago