This project focused on the feasibility of the use of natural brine for anti-icing and pre-wetting in Onondaga County, Syracuse, New York. A thorough literature review was conducted on the use of brine as an anti-icing and pre-wetting agent both in the U.S. and abroad. The review indicated that the use of brine as an anti-icing and pre-wetting agent has gained popularity in most of the Departments of Transportation (DOT) in the U.S. and abroad over the years. Studies indicate that decreased applications of anti-icing chemicals lead to significant savings in material costs, reduced use of abrasives (rock salt and sand), better road conditions, lower accident rates, better environmental protection and lower costs for winter road maintenance. Costs analyses indicated that natural brine applications costs were comparable to commercial brine applications in the Onondaga County region. Deicing materials and accident data analyses for the Village of Fayetteville, Onondaga County and the NYSDOT Onondaga East Residency office indicated that

a) snow events are a significant contributor to winter road accidents
b) frequency of accidents go up immediately after a heavy precipitation
c) number of accidents in the 2010-2011 winter season when brine was applied was less than when rock salt was applied (2009-2010 winter season) even though the precipitation was greater in former case for I-81 and I-481.