Estimates show drop in road salt prices for Ohio

10/10/2013

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Transportation officials for state and local governments could save about $5 million in road salt costs as the price Ohio pays continues to decrease.

The Columbus Dispatch reports that for the second year in a row, the Ohio Department of Transportation has asked salt companies to provide bids for regional transportation districts, instead of on a county-by-county basis.

The newspaper reports that those members of the state’s purchasing cooperative will see a price drop. The statewide average cost this year is $35.83 per ton of salt, down from $40.91 last year.

Ohio’s transportation department estimates that this year it will need more than 425,000 tons of salt and that local authorities buying on the contract will seek almost 693,000 tons.