District 17 supervisor rides Barron County snowplow, outlines salt, sand and brine practices

Patty Anderson, District 17 board supervisor, rode along in a Barron County Highway Department snowplow with operator Trevin on Highway 53 on a routine winter shift and described how county crews manage deicing and plowing.

Anderson said she and the operator were monitoring conditions on Highway 53, which crews cover north from Highway 48 up to the Washburn County line. She noted that Wisconsin reimburses the county for work on state roads, and Trevin confirmed that arrangement.

Trevin described material choices and tactics. "It's 100% salt up here on Highway 53 unless it gets sub 0 — salt's not gonna work," he said. "We will switch to a salt‑sand mixture" in very cold conditions to add grit. He explained brine as "a mixture of water and salt" that helps materials stick to pavement and improve performance.

The crew said Barron County recently purchased brine‑mixing equipment and that the county mixes much of its own deicing material; Trevin identified storage sites in Barron, Rice Lake and Cumberland. He also outlined operational coverage: Highway 53 is split into four plow sections, with his section running from Highway 48 to the county line near New Auburn/Chetak.

Trevin discussed monitoring tactics and roadway conditions: "Our air temp is 19, but the road is 25," he said, noting blacktop shoulders often freeze before concrete and that being on the move lets drivers respond quickly to changing conditions. He said the truck carries about 10 tons of salt when fully loaded.

Anderson said she would return later to explain more about plowing operations on Highway 53. The ride‑along offered an on‑the‑road look at local winter maintenance choices — when crews rely on salt, when they add sand, and how in‑house brine and storage locations support rapid response.