The Marquette University Center for Highway and Traffic Engineering has documented that applying salt and plowing two-lane roads pays for itself within 25 minutes. Mixtures of salt, cinders or other abrasives were proven not to recover costs. Not only did these other abrasives not recover the costs of application there were additional costs to clean roadways and catch-basins each spring. Source: 1996 Marquette University study.
Salt is the most economical deicer. It is readily available—rock salt is the type most commonly used though solar salt or evaporated salt may also be used for deicing. Salt also works best when the temperature is near freezing. The watery brine formed by moisture and salt break up the snow and ice so that roads can be plowed. Municipalities may have to salt numerous times during large or extended snowstorms and salt gives the best results and value for the money spent.