Wisconsin Rapids Wins Award for Excellence

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. (WFHR, WIRI) – Wisconsin Rapids wins award for excellence in Snow and Ice Control. The Department of Public Works won the award established by the American Public Works Association. The Wisconsin APWA Awards Committee selects the winner who promotes the best practices in snow and ice removal while minimizing environmental impacts.

WI Rapids Public Works Dept.

The City of Wisconsin Rapids has vowed to do their part to conserve Wisconsin waterways. Those efforts include reducing the amount of salt the city uses. Public Works Supervisor Cody Knutson submitted documentation showing how the city department is actively looking for new and improved ways to conserve salt. The department also works to make the snow and ice control process more efficient.

Updated Equipment

Over the past several years, the city department has been updating equipment and utilizing technology to reduce salt usage. They have prewet systems in their patrol trucks which jumpstart the salt activation time. The systems prewet the rock salt before it hits the road surface. This helps keep the salt on the road surface rather than it bouncing to the curb or off the street entirely. By wetting the salt before it lands on the road, the salt starts melting ice and snow in half the time.

Salt Brine

In 2023, the city outfitted a truck with a liquid dicing system. The process is known as anti-icing. They started small by first applying salt brine to bridge decks, overpasses, and shaded areas. They now also use liquid salt on the connecting highway system that runs throughout the city. Applying salt brine to roads before storms stops the snow and ice from bonding to the pavement making it easier to remove. Knutson said using the liquid dicing system allows city crews to clear roads quicker and more efficiently.

Community Outreach

The Wisconsin Rapids Media Department works to keep people informed on policies and procedures the Public Works Department uses for snow and ice control. Their social media page keeps people informed about potential incoming hazardous weather, snow emergencies and provides tips and reminders about policies and procedures throughout the winter season. You can also find videos on the Wisconsin Rapids Community Media YouTube page.

Excellence in Snow and Ice Control Award

The City of Wisconsin Rapids will receive a plaque for Excellence in Snow and Ice Control at the APWA Wisconsin Chapter Spring Conference. You can find more information on the American Public Works Association on their website.

January 27 – 31, 2025 is Winter Salt Week. You can find more information here. Wisconsin Salt Wise is a coalition of groups working to inform and educate on the issues of salt pollution and how to reduce salt use.