The Flint water crisis did not begin on April 25th, 2014, when the city switched its water supply from Detroit’s system, tapping Lake Huron to its own on the Flint River. That tragic mistake was...
Road salt on the city’s bridges raised the river’s chlorine levels, making the water more corrosive. This has continued into the present and may have been one reason poorly-treated Flint River water was so damaging to metal pipes.
I shared this because my city doesn't use rock salt during winter, and its pretty inconvenient as a driver. So I was surprised to learn why.
It's disingenuous to say it's the PRIMARY contributor, but it is a factor!
Last I checked, Homo erectus didn't spend a lot of time walking around on concrete. Nor did they have bicycles.
No matter the mode of transportation, in a built up environment where you're moving on smooth surfaces where ice can form easily, you need some form of de-icing, sanding, and/or studded tires/shoes.