Letter to the editor: Alternatives to salt for deicing

Regarding the letter “Road salt destroying bridges, water, roads, cars” (July 13, TribLIVE) that identifies the use of salt on Pittsburgh’s roads as a major reason for bridge corrosion and collapse: I’m not an engineer or a chemist, but I believe the writer has made an important point. However, his conclusion (that Pittsburgh should use snowplows only) doesn’t address the issue of ice.

There are communities and countries that accomplish de-icing with the use of below surface pipes that carry heated water in them. Holland, Michigan, in the United States is one. Japan and Scandinavia use this system, too.

Now that infrastructure funds are available from the federal government and road and bridge repairs are underway, isn’t it time for Pittsburgh to look at both installation of subsurface de-icing systems, as well as burying electrical lines to avoid the frequent power outages caused by heavy ice build-up on lines?

Just a suggestion.

Sheryl Stolzenberg

Squirrel Hill