Chesterton Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg wants folks to know that the treatment applied to roadways last week in advance of Saturday’s snow event was only salt brine.

“We’ve had some calls from people asking if there was any chemical in it,” Schnadenberg told the Town Council at its meeting Monday night. The answer is No. Trucks were applying nothing more than a 23 to 26 percent solution of salt water.

Pre-treating roadways with salt brine is a cost-effective way of getting a headstart on de-icing, Schnadenberg said. Not only can pre-treating be done during normal work hours--instead of during overtime hours after the snowstorm has actually started--it means the Street Department needs to use far less of the more expensive road salt to keep the streets clear and safe. Salt brine also buys plows a couple of extra hours by preventing the early fall of snow from bonding with the pavement.

“It’s a tool,” Schnadenberg noted. “It by no means solves all of our problems.”

In other business, members voted unanimously to take under advisement asphalt quotes for four roadwork projects which have received 50/50 Community Crossings state infrastructure grants:

* South Eighth Street from West Porter Ave. to Broadway: $79,847.60 from Rieth-Riley Construction Company Inc.; $80,024.60 from Walsh & Kelly Inc.

* 15th Street from Woodlawn Ave. all the way south of Washington Ave.: $115,813.60 from Walsh & Kelly; $123,435.60 from Rieth-Riley.

* 100E from 1100N to 1050N: $83,218.40 from Walsh & Kelly; $83,219.40 from Rieth-Riley.

* West Porter Ave. from South Calumet Road to South Eighth Street: $107,755.75 from Walsh & Kelly; $113,555.50 from Rieth-Riley.

Members also voted unanimously to authorize Schnadenberg to go out to bid on two other Community Crossings roadwork projects, with bids being opened at the council’s Feb. 25 meeting:

* South 11th Street from Park Ave. to 1100N.

* Replace curbs on East Morgan Ave. from Coffee Creek Park to Roosevelt Street, plus concrete patching.

Meanwhile, Town Engineer Mark O’Dell reported that the town has formally applied to the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission for federal grant funding for Phase III of the Westchester-Liberty Trail.

Phase III would continue the sidewalk on the south side of 1100N east of South Fifth Street, then south along a corridor of Park Department property into the Tamarack subdivision, then east to 100E, finally linking with Rail Road.

Total estimated cost: $1,511,719. The town’s share of that cost, should it receive a grant: $373,094.

The town is applying for the 2024 grant cycle, O’Dell said.