Discussion: Driveway

It doesn't sound like the weather will help your driveway in the next couple of days. Saturday's snowstorm may help give it a different surface, anyway.

Does the highway garage let just anyone come in and take some, or do you know someone there? I never thought about asking our local highway folks for sand (I buy a bag of sandbox/play sand at the local home improvement store, which lasts for years).

The highway garage has a pile just outside the building where they keep the main supply. We can just go help ourselves, bring a shovel and a container. Actually, they mix in some salt with the sand. If you want just plain sand, then it might help if you know someone. I'm pretty sure they keep their main piles of sand and salt separate and then mix up custom batches for each storm with the sand/salt ratio depending on the conditions. (We have a really sharp highway super.)

But the last several years I gotten by without any. Saves work, also harm to both driveway and surrounding vegetation. But sometimes the ice gets pretty bad. This one is so-so right now -- no traction any place that was driven yesterday, but not bad down the middle and off to each side. So I'm not giving in yet.

Our town also has a pile of mixed salt and sand. Homeowners can fill up buckets for their own use. I think most towns in these parts provide a similar service. One disadvantage of plain sand is that it will freeze and be unusable when you might otherwise want it.