The Wilson Post
LEBANON WEATHER

Mt. Juliet’s brine maker treats roads in winter




The $60,000 brine machine that mixes water and salt, purchased by Mt. Juliet to treat the city’s roads in winter weather. City officials said the machine has already paid for itself during bad weather in the past year.CITY OF MT. JULIET

The $60,000 brine machine that mixes water and salt, purchased by Mt. Juliet to treat the city’s roads in winter weather. City officials said the machine has already paid for itself during bad weather in the past year.CITY OF MT. JULIET

It’s able to make a recipe that melts ice and snow with the goal of dramatically reducing car crashes in cold weather and snowy events in Mt. Juliet.

The ingredients are salt and water, mixed at City Hall in a brine making machine, making the city no longer dependent on truck deliveries of brine to fill their four tanks.

The City of Mt. Juliet has a new gadget that’s way more than that and is a first in sister cities. Mt. Juliet has purchased a brine maker that will help the city pre-treat roads ahead of ice and snow events.

“It all started last February when we had major winter events,” said Mt. Juliet Public Works Director Andrew Barlow. “We had three different fronts in one week. Back to back.”

The city ran out of the brine to treat the roads in the most efficient manner. Simple salt didn’t do the trick ahead of an icy dump.

“And, we were almost out of salt,” Barlow said.

Barlow learned the Tennessee Department of Transportation had a brine maker and he was intrigued.

“I didn’t know what it was and was interested in another option in addition to salt for public works,” he said. “I loved the flexibility and capability to pre-treat roads ahead of the storm. We had not been able to do that.”

He and his team met with TDOT staff and learned the ins-and-outs of the machine.

“We realized the cost estimates were under $100,000 and we looked at all our costs in saving infrastructure and knew it would pay for itself,” said Barlow.

The cost of the brine making machine was $60,000 and approved for the 2021-2022 budget by city commissioners. The machine mixes salt with water and goes into storage tanks.

“Before we had to limit what we could pretreat,” said Barlow.

Now, the city can put the melting solution on 50 to 60 miles of city roadways. The method is to treat road once before the slippery weather starts and again before it turns from rain to snow.

Two weeks ago, the city utilized the brine making machine to pre-treat roads before a huge Thursday snowstorm. Four trucks were on the road.

“We recognize we’ve reached out for help in the past,” said Barlow. “We are able to produce more than we need, and we will share with Wilson County, Lebanon, Gallatin, Hendersonville.”

Barlow said these latest, somewhat early winter snow events, show the decision to purchase the brine maker a good use.

“I think it’s already paid for itself,” said Barlow. “In cost savings to the community. Pre-treatment reduces crashes and subsequent guardrail replacements and more.”

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