Keeping roads clear in Williamson County this winter will be a lot more expensive.

The Williamson County Board approved a bid to pay Midwest Salt of Batavia $111 dollars per ton earlier this month. The Board will purchase 625 tons of road salt at that rate, which is almost double the $57 dollars per ton rate the county paid last year.

The Department of Central Management Services bids on road salt on behalf of Illinois municipalities, but 195 of the 562 government bodies were denied bids because the demand was too high.