The anti-icing agent could be back on the streets of Edmonton this winter

An anti-icing agent could be used on the streets of Edmonton this winter after the 2016-17 pilot project showed that the city had saved $ 4.3 million by combining chlorine chloride. calcium, sand and salt.

The committee gave its initial consent on Wednesday to allow the Operations Branch to continue working on a pilot's expansion plan.

The city used calcium chloride to reduce collisions, but there is concern about the effects of the anti-icing product. vehicles, infrastructure and environment.

Environmental impacts related to last year's pilot project are not yet known, staff told the committee. They were asked to report on this data in October.

Coun. Scott McKeen is hectic about unknown long-term implications.

There are compromises in all this – Coun. Scott McKeen

"I think we're probably all concerned about the impact on urban infrastructure, people's vehicles and the river," McKeen said Wednesday.

He worried about the corrosive nature of calcium chloride will have long-term effects.

"There are compromises in all of this," he said. "We could throw more chemicals and put them on the bare pad, but what is the cost for people's vehicles?"

Arthur Potts, a chemical engineer with Fluid Clarification, came to the committee meeting on Wednesday to express his concern. Calcium chloride is corrosive and will damage vehicles over time.

"There was absolutely no mention of any measure related to corrosion or how they were going to evaluate that," he said.

Arthur Potts, chemical engineer in Edmonton, thinks that the city must study the effects of calcium chloride before using it on the roads and sidewalks of the city

"I think the city has to do Attention and Do not Decide to Expand The pilot program does not take into account how they will evaluate the actual cost to Edmonton individuals who own vehicles. "

anti-icing agent is bad for concrete, which makes it susceptible to breakage.

The city tested calcium chloride on just over 2,800 km of road in three areas: Yellowhead Trail, parts of St Trail Albert, Calgary Trail and Gateway Boulevard.

Calcium chloride was also used on 13 km of shared lanes bike lanes in four urban parks, 167 bus stops and on the sidewalks of higher centers of Northgate and Cent

During the pilot project, the city used 68% less sand and had to do less sweeping.

The Operations Branch recommends that the pilot be extended this winter to include more roads, sidewalks and bike lanes – all in the current budget.

Janet Tecklenborg, Director of Infrastructure Operations "

" There is a correlation with the fact that the reduction in the number of accidents leads to a reduction in the number of accidents, " she said.

Tecklenborg stated that collisions are reduced between 30 and 66%. The city does not have readily available data from its pilot project last winter, she said.

"We did not have enough data to be statistically significant in one way or the other," she says. We hope to collect more data next winter and be able to show a positive trend.

The plan to remove snow and ice also requires new equipment to optimize the use of sand and salt, but this equipment will cost more.

The city also wants to test calcium chloride in residential areas, but staff could not say how much or where at the moment. They intend to consult the neighborhoods first.

McKeen asked city staff to review the success of calcium chloride in other provinces by reducing collisions when snow tires are mandatory.

The branch of operations is expected to report October 3 with results.