[Justa]

Salt, beet juice, chemicals.... none of that is going to work when it’s 12 degrees out (morning temp in Atlanta). The only thing that works below 20 degrees is sand, sawdust, etc. to provide traction.

[thackney]

The only thing that works below 20 degrees is sand, sawdust, etc. to provide traction.

Not true.

http://desertmtncorp.com/ice.html?gclid=CMXB0pz6pbwCFUYOOgodBigAVg

Propylene glycol also is a colorless, viscous liquid at room temperature. It doesn't have a true freezing point, but becomes glasslike at -51 C, and it can lower the freezing point of water to about -60 C. Because propylene glycol is essentially nontoxic, its share of the U.S. aviation deicer market has grown from 10% to more than 70%.

When we lived in Alaska, they used Propylene Glycol on the main roads. http://pubs.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/stuff/7901scit5.html

In Houston, Texas, they put Magnesium Chloride down on overpasses when icing conditions are predicited. They don't wait until it starts. It melts ice down to 5°F.

http://www.kissner.com/magnesium-chloride-ice-melt/

[kearnyirish2]

“Salt, beet juice, chemicals.... none of that is going to work when it’s 12 degrees out (morning temp in Atlanta). The only thing that works below 20 degrees is sand, sawdust, etc. to provide traction.”

I think they just have to get to the sunrise (as I understand it).