Salt Shortage Means Slippery Roads: Are You At Risk?

No road salt for sale, even at inflated prices.

That was Park Ridge Mayor David Schmidt's message Thursday, when he told residents that the city will not salt residential side streets, only arterial roads. Similar caution is underway in west suburban Aurora, where residential streets will get only a sprinkling of salt, if that, according to the Beacon-News.

Earlier: Park Ridge, Nation, Low On Salt Due To Nasty Winter

Money is not the problem; it's that with the severe winter across much of the U.S. and Canada, there is huge demand for road salt, and the city can't find any to buy, Schmidt said.

Morton Grove Public Works Director Andy DeMonte said Friday that Morton Grove has enough salt for now.

"We are OK on salt at the moment (and also searching for other sources) and will be salting all streets, though sparingly and in most cases mixed with sand," he emailed to Patch. His department plows all the roads, other than Golf Road, in the village, some by maintenance agreement with other government bodies.

The unavailability of road salt is all the buzz among public works directors, he said, especially because no end to the snow and cold is in sight.

"I would feel a lot more comfortable if it were the end of February instead of January," DeMonte said, echoing the sentiments of many. "A  lot of winter remains."