Since even several thousand sensors would fall short of providing coverage for the nearly one million kilometres of roadway across Canada, Environment Canada hopes to use three-dimensional numerical weather prediction models and to work closely with the private sector to fill in the blanks. A nationally integrated RWIS network would result in a national highway system that is safer, more environmentally sustainable, and more efficient. Some regions are already planning to use RWIS data in the off-season for such purposes as determining the best time for planting and harvesting crops in nearby fields, and identifying conditions that could lead to forest fires. Just remember, Canadian winters can wreak havoc on road conditions. To improve road safety, maintenace crews use some 4.7 million tonnes of road salt each year.
Road salt is mined from natural deposits in the ground and is the same as table salt.
As snow accumulates on the road and is compacted by traffic, it forms a bond with the pavement, making it difficult to remove with plows. Salt is used to break this bond. The salt reacts with moisture to create a layer of salty water called brine between the snow or ice and the road. The brine layer has a freeze point below 0 o C permitting the snow and ice to be plowed from the road.