KCMO road crews using new chemical to break up snow in the roads in extreme cold
Updated: 9:46 AM CST Feb 11, 2021
Crews said the mixture is 90% less corrosive and is more environmentally friendly.
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Updated: 9:46 AM CST Feb 11, 2021
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NEXT NINE DAYS FOR THE COLDEST AIR COMING UP. LARA: ROAD CREWS HAVE BEEN TREATING THE ROADS AS A BIG -- ADMIT TREATING THE ROADS IS A BIG PROBLEM RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY ON SIDE STREETS. THAT’S BECAUSE, IT’S HARD TO MELT SNOW AND ICE IN EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES. BUT AS KMBC 9’S ALAN SHOPE TELLS US TONIGHT THEY THINK THEY HAVE AN ANSWER. >> IT’S A LITTLE BIT OF A BLUE COLOR. >>IT STANDS OUT IN THE SNOW. BUT NOT FOR VERY LONG. >> IT’S MORE THAN 90% LESS CORROSIVE. >> AND IN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES, THIS SNOW COVERED SPOT ON THIS STREET LOOKS LIKE THIS. >> THIS WILL HOPEFULLY START TO MELT MUCH MORE QUICKLY THEN REGULAR SALT. >> IT’S CALLED ICE BAN THE CITY SAYS IT CAN MELT SNOW AND ICE IN SUBZERO TEMPERATURES. CITY ROAD CREW WORKER KEVIN WEST OUT PLOWING STREETS WITH IT. NEW CITY MANAGER BRIAN PLATT SAYS IT’S PART OF HIS NEW AGGRESSIVE PLAN TO GET SNOW OF KANSAS CITY STREETS FASTER. >> WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO APPLY THIS THROUGHOUT THE DAYS AND NIGHTS AHEAD TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET RID OF ALL THE SNOW AND ICE AND ALSO IT STAYS GONE. >> THE CITY SAYS ICE BAN COSTS ABOUT THE SAME AS SALT THEY SAY IT COMES IN AS A LIQUID AND THEY MIX IT WITH THE SALT BEFORE IT GOES OUT ON THE TRUCK BUT THE ONE ADDED PLUS IT’S MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY THAN SALT. >> IT’S ACTUALLY NON TOXIC IT CAN BE A NUTRIENT FOR PLANT LIFE IN A CERTAIN SENSE. >> THE CITY IS ALL IN ON ICE BAN PURCHASING NEARLY 1300 GALLONS OF IT PLATT SAYS, HIS GOAL. >> WE’RE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE’RE DOING IT’S WORKING AS EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. LARA: PLATT SAYS TODAY WAS THE CITY’S 7TH STRAIGHT DAY