Beet juice? Yep. Great with greens, your favorite meat dish, as a refreshing drink or---when de sugared---as an additive mixed with rock salt and calcium chloride to de ice roadways. 

In its ongoing search for an effective solution to winter's icy roads that is both economical and environmentally safe, Akron may have found that solution in a solution of beet juice (5%) calcium chloride (10%) and rock salt brine (85%) that has some rather amazing properties when applied to our streets.

Public Works Bureau Manager Paul Barnett is hopeful about the mixture, saying, "We experimented a bit with it last year, along with magnesium chloride. This winter, we're going to try using just the beet juice (known commercially as GEOMELT(tm) with salt and calcium chloride."

Barnett says, when mixed, the beets enhance the properties of the other two elements lowering the temperature at which salt can be effective from about 17 degrees to an advertised -60 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The concoction will be less corrosive than salt brine alone, because the beets have the ability to rob salt of its caustic quality, saving auto bodies and road surfaces.

"The beets also allow the salt and the calcium chloride to stick to the road better and last longer," said Barnett, "allowing us to save money with fewer applications over the course of winter.

Last winter, Akron spent roughly $4 million on snow and ice removal. Half of that, according to Director of Public Service Rick Merolla, went for materials. 

"Of course none of us knows what winter holds in store," said Merolla, "but we are budgeting about the same amount this winter. It can be considered an average budget for snow removal in Akron."

Akron pays roughly four to five cents per gallon for brine and 90 cents per gallon of calcium chloride. And while GEOMELT(tm) runs just less than the price of gasoline at about $2.60/gallon, Barnett hopes it will pay off in the long haul.

"We just placed an order this morning for 4,000 gallons of the stuff," he said. "Now, we'll begin preparing the mixture for use whenever temperatures fall below 17 degrees. This is a method some western cities have had success with, so I'm confident."