Michigan Tests Beet Juice to Cut Road Salt

If SB 379 becomes law, Michigan drivers could see liquid sugarbeet additives on state roads instead of salt alone.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Electric Vehicles

Michigan Tests Beet Juice to Cut Road Salt

Live Poll

Should your community use sugarbeet juice instead of salt on icy roads?

Michigan's state Senate passed SB 379, which would create a pilot program testing agricultural additives such as sugarbeet byproducts for road de-icing. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Roger Victory, was sent to the governor after final Senate approval.

Why it matters

Salt is the standard winter road treatment, but it corrodes roads and vehicles, blows away in extreme weather, and harms Michigan's farms and freshwater ecosystems. Agricultural liquid additives are being tested as a way to help salt stick to pavement and reduce how much salt reaches water sources.

Novi reports about a 35% savings in salt alone from using liquid additives, and has used beet juice on its roads since 2009. The MDOT report on the pilot program is due to legislative transportation committees by June 30, 2025.

The players

Sen. Roger Victory

Michigan state senator from Hudsonville and sponsor of SB 379, the bill creating the agricultural de-icing pilot program.

Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT)

The state agency that would run the pilot program and submit its report to the legislative transportation committees.

City of Novi

Michigan city that has used beet juice on its roads since 2009 and reports significant salt savings from liquid additives.

The details

SB 379 would test agricultural additives, such as sugarbeet byproducts, designed to improve salt's ability to stick to pavement. The Michigan Department of Transportation would submit a report on the pilot program to both legislative transportation committees. Michigan is one of the top states for growing sugarbeets, which is part of why the additives are being considered for state roads.

2009: The city of Novi began using beet juice on its roads.
June 30, 2025: MDOT's report on the pilot program is due to legislative committees.

The Home Front

Novi's use of beet juice since 2009 is the local precedent that the statewide pilot now tries to extend across Michigan. Winter road maintenance costs and salt-related damage to vehicles and roads are the household-level stakes behind the proposal.

If you park outside in a Michigan winter, salt-heavy road treatment is one factor in how quickly undercarriage and body components wear, so keep up with any rust-prevention wash schedule you already follow. Watch for updates on whether your local road authority adopts liquid additives, and ask a licensed mechanic to inspect your vehicle's underbody after a particularly salty season.

The takeaway

Liquid agricultural additives are being tested as a way to reduce how much salt ends up on roads, in vehicles, and in water. If your city already uses them, ask about the salt-savings results, and keep an eye on the pilot report due June 30, 2025.