Cities everywhere are looking for new ideas to cut down on rock salt for treating roads and sidewalks. We've already seen the trails of brine solution on area roads. And now some sidewalks in Syracuse are seeing a new de-icing method - beets.

beets
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Sidewalks around City Hall in Syracuse are now being treated with "beet salt" and it seems to be working better than other methods. Purple sidewalks could start popping up all over the state once crews see how effective it is in Syracuse. In theory, it could be a major improvement over traditional rock or road salt. One report from Syracuse.com quotes Mayor Ben Walsh as saying the "beet salt" is more environmentally friendly and:

Not as much is needed to melt the snow. It's also less corrosive and melts ice at lower temperatures than rock salt. Plus, it turns snow purple. (Mayor Ben Walsh via Syracuse.com)

If this trend continues, we could see purple sidewalks lining Genesee Street downtown. Or purple sidewalks surrounding the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Or how about purple sidewalks outside Sangertown Square? The only real question is - how easy is it to clean all the "beet salt" you track indoors?

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