St Louis's free salt programme for residents ended in frustration last week after commercial vehicles allegedly took most of the supply, leaving homeowners empty-handed ahead of Winter Storm Fern.
The city distributed 1.5 tonnes of salt at five firehouses on Friday, asking residents to bring their own buckets. However, the salt ran out within hours, and a refill on Saturday vanished in just 30 minutes, according to city chief operating officer Ben Jonsson.
Officials said commercial entities exploited the goodwill scheme by taking bulk quantities, while many residents who visited multiple sites found nothing left. Jonsson told KSDX that 'in many cases it was residents who benefited, but we also had a commercial truck pulling up and filling up with salt.'
The shortage came as St Louis Lambert International Airport recorded 5.1in of snow on Saturday, breaking a 90-year daily record. The wider metro area received 7 to 12in over the weekend from a storm that affected much of the United States.
The city plans to continue offering salt for future storms but will work to limit excessive takes. Residents with unsafe streets are urged to report issues to the Citizens’ Service Bureau and share the report number with their alderperson.
