Blog Post  Winter Readiness Starts Now: Pre-Order Road Salt through VEH119

In a region as winter-prone as New England, communities must be ready to tackle snow and ice with efficiency and safety in mind. A cornerstone of any successful winter road maintenance strategy is road salt – an essential tool that helps prevent accidents, maintain road access, and keep daily life moving during winter weather events. Having a reliable supply of road salt is not just convenient – it’s a public safety necessity.  

Fortunately, Massachusetts communities have access to several road salt types and pre-negotiated rates and terms through the VEH119 Road Salt Statewide Contract. 

Selecting Road Salt Options for Your Community 

VEH119 offers several types of road salt, each with unique benefits. Selecting the right type of road salt for your community may maximize effectiveness, reduce environmental impact, and improve safety outcomes. Discuss these options with VEH119 awarded vendors: 

• Traditional Mined Sodium Chloride Rock Salt: The most widely used form of road salt, traditional rock salt is effective at melting ice at temperatures down to about 15 degrees Fahrenheit and is an affordable choice for general deicing. 
• Treated Rock Salt: Treated rock salt is a smart choice for communities looking to balance performance with environmental stewardship. Treated rock salt includes an organic-based performance enhancer that boosts the salt’s melting power and helps it adhere to road surfaces. This option works faster than traditional rock salt and at lower temperatures. Additionally, the liquid enhancer reduces bounce and scatter, keeping more salt on the road and reducing harmful runoff into soil and waterways. 
• Solar Salt: These high-purity sodium chloride crystals serve as an effective deicer and produce less residue than traditional rock salt. 

Pre-Order Road Salt 

By pre-ordering well in advance of the season, communities have consistent access to the road salt needed for safe winter road maintenance. Refer to the VEH119 Contract User Guide for order details and to reach VEH119 vendors. Express interest in VEH119 road salt deliveries by completing and submitting the VEH119 Memorandum of Understanding by Friday, October 16, 2026. Refer questions to Category Manager Sean Corbin.