Salt scattered on roundabouts in Flevoland for heat
In Flevoland, because of the persistent heat, salt is scattered on all roundabouts on the provincial roads. Until Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m., grit on the road to prevent distortion of the asphalt, says a province spokesperson.
Due to the heat, the top layer of the asphalt becomes hot, up to 60 or 70 degrees. “That layer becomes soft and when cars drive over it, the tires push the asphalt away,” the spokesperson explains. The salt attracts moisture from the air, causing the asphalt to cool. That must prevent rail formation and incitement of the road surface. About 15 grams of salt per square meter are sprinkled.
Rijkswaterstaat does not sprinkle on the national roads, says a spokesperson. “That is not necessary with the type of asphalt that lies there.” Also in Noord-Brabant, Limburg and Zeeland will not be scattered for the time being.
“It is quite an operation and you also bring a lot of stuff to nature that does not belong there,” says a spokesperson for the province of Noord-Brabant. “Under the current circumstances, we wonder if we would not do any more harm than good with it.” The provinces of Limburg and Zeeland keep an eye on the roads. In any case, sprinkling is not necessary, they say.