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Michigan Winter Thanksgiving Travel: I-75 Salt Has Limits
Detroit, MI – Michigan drivers preparing to travel Interstate 75, Interstate 94 and Interstate 96 this Thanksgiving may be putting too much confidence in something they depend on every winter: road sa
By Mara Ellison · 2026-11-11T19:10:07.745Z
Detroit, MI – Michigan drivers preparing to travel Interstate 75, Interstate 94 and Interstate 96 this Thanksgiving may be putting too much confidence in something they depend on every winter: road salt. Even freshly treated highways can become dangerously icy when temperatures plunge, leaving motorists vulnerable to slippery conditions despite road crews' efforts.
According to winter maintenance guidance from transportation agencies, traditional road salt becomes increasingly less effective as pavement temperatures approach 20 degrees Fahrenheit, with its ice melting ability declining further as temperatures fall into the teens and single digits.
And that's where a common winter driving assumption can become dangerous.
Why Even Salted Michigan Highways Can Freeze Road salt isn't magic. It lowers the freezing point of water, helping melt ice and reduce freezing under suitable conditions.
However, as pavement temperatures drop, the melting process slows considerably. Around 20 degrees, conventional salt works much more slowly than it does near freezing. Below 15 degrees, salt alone may struggle to melt ice quickly enough to improve traction.
For motorists traveling through Detroit in Wayne County, Flint in Genesee County, Lansing in Ingham County and Grand Rapids in Kent County, that limitation matters.
Major routes including I 75, I 94, I 96, I 69 and I 196 can remain slippery despite treatment, particularly on bridges, overpasses, shaded stretches and areas affected by lake effect snow.
Thanksgiving Travel Could Increase the Danger Thanksgiving falls Thursday, Nov. 26, bringing holiday travelers onto Michigan's major interstate corridors connecting Metro Detroit, central Michigan, western Michigan and communities farther north.
If snow, freezing rain or rapidly falling temperatures develop during the holiday travel period, even treated highways could become dangerously slick.
The risk can increase overnight and early in the morning, when falling pavement temperatures allow moisture to refreeze.
The Michigan Department of Transportation and local road agencies use multiple winter maintenance strategies, but no treatment guarantees ice free pavement under every condition.
Before departing, drivers should check National Weather Service forecasts and Michigan's Mi Drive traveler information system for updated highway conditions.
The bottom line: A salted interstate is not necessarily a safe interstate. Motorists should reduce speed, increase following distances and remain alert for icy patches even when pavement appears clear.