Shaker Heights, like most of the country, is under a winter storm warning in effect from Jan. 24 to midday Jan. 26, and with the regional road salt shortage, the challenge for student drivers may intensify.
The shortage in Shaker Heights and the rest of northeast Ohio is due to delivery delays from the state-contracted supplier of rock salt for Cuyahoga County, Cargill.
Shaker residents are beginning to experience different driving conditions as a result of the shortage.“It’s easy to go drifting nowadays. Those anti-lock breaks are kicking in, which is rough. My Subaru can’t handle that,” senior Ellie Allan said.
The city of Shaker Heights Government posted to Facebook a plan to accommodate the shortage. “In Shaker Heights, crews are conserving salt by using it only on main roads, hills and secondary intersections. Please drive slowly, especially on side streets, and give yourself extra time to get where you need to go,” the post stated.
According to Fox 8, the City of Cleveland, also facing the deficit, has “only 10,000 tons of salt left for crews to work with through the rest of the winter season. The city uses between 4,000 and 7,000 tons of salt per snow event, depending on the size.” With the upcoming storm, which may see 11 inches of snow by Monday morning, Cleveland’s salt supply could disappear within days.
“I think that will be a little scary,” sophomore Marios Kallergis said. “Without the salt, the ice will form up, and that will cause problems, accidents,” and being a new driver “is always a little more difficult when it’s snowy and icy.”
Jane Vogelsberger is the parent of a 17-year-old driver. She said, “The idea of her being out there in this, not knowing what to do, is scary.”
