Winter Maintenance on Slippery Private Roads

[RustyA]

Water softener crystals in 50 lb bags perhaps? Poor man's driveway deicer.

 

[Rustyiron]

A storage building would be ideal but costly. The taxes on such a building would also hurt.

10x10 with a roof is all you need. Build it on skids if you have to avoid the taxes.

 

[groundcover]

I ended up subbing out sanding duties, best idea yet !

 

[dodge man]

I use water softener salt, 40 pound bags. I use solar salt, it’s just a little coarser than the regular salt you use for sidewalks.

 

[oosik]

I shall tell you of my driveway. It gravel - it's a mile long and straight as an arrow. Right down a quarter section line. Right in the middle there is a valley. 120 feet down into the valley - 200 feet across the valley - 85 feet up the other side and out of the valley.

I'm speaking, now, of history. Due to our weird weather - I've not had to plow snow for going on five years.

Anyhow - a heavy rear blade on a tractor will keep the snow cleared off and plowed down to the gravel surface.

Been out here 40+ years and have NEVER had to use any type of "traction enhancer" on any part of my driveway.

Just keep it plowed. That is if we ever get any more snow and I do need to ever plow again.

 

[Topzide]

Not a bad idea. I guess I'll need a sprayer to apply it.

Just set up a drip boom. Salt is hard on most anything. Have a main valve to turn on and off and the boom to width needed. Make boom in sections to aid in storage. You could make the valve a 12 volt on/off to start and stop. Try to keep simple so the others can also use without much thought or cost.

 

[airbiscuit]

I don't have cheap alternatives, but:
pea gravel (cheap from a gravel pit)
poultry grit
crushed oyster shells
pelletized lime

 

[airbiscuit]

Environmentally Friendly Deicing Options​

There are several environmentally friendly deicing options that can be applied instead of salt:

• Alfalfa Meal works well by providing traction to walk on, and since it contains nitrogen like Urea it also melts ice. But like urea, it only works moderately well as an ice melter.

 

[LouNY]

I buy a tri-axle of salted sand every couple of years, I have a bunker to store it in and I tarp it over.
This coming year I want to revamp it and make it a bit narrower then put one of the canvas garages on it.

 

[Hay Dude]

Damn, Lou
You in some STEEP country.