Posted Nov 05, 2012 @ 03:37 PM
Dedham Director of Engineering Jason Mammone distributed the following message to Dedham business owners today regarding de-icing of sidewalks in Dedham Square.
The contractor for the Dedham Square Improvement Project has installed new concrete sidewalks in front of your Business.
The Engineering Department would like to remind you that the new concrete sidewalks may not have cured hard enough to withstand a lot of the winter deicing chemicals that are used to melt ice. Please do not use rock salt, sodium chloride or calcium chloride products on the new sidewalks.
The National Research Council's Strategic Highway Research Program tested deicing salts to see how they would etch and destroy concrete. According to the test results, magnesium chloride did the least amount of damage. Calcium chloride caused 26 times more damage to the concrete than magnesium chloride. Regular rock salt, sodium chloride, caused an astonishing 63 times more damage.
The Department of Public Works will be de-icing the sidewalks this winter with sand that has been treated with magnesium chloride. We strongly urge you this winter to contact the DPW at 781-751-9350 should there be an icing situation that has not been addressed rather than trying to treat the ice yourself with one of the damaging chemicals described above.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this notice, you may contact the Director of Public Works, Joseph Flanagan, or me at the number below.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Jason L. Mammone, P.E.
Director of Engineering
Town of Dedham
(781) 751-9350
jmammone@dedham-ma.gov
