The state of New Hampshire is paying about 25 percent more for road salt than it did last winter, and prices also are higher for cities and towns.

Spokesman Bill Boynton says the state Department of Transportation spends $8 million on road salt in a typical winter and expects to spend  between $10- 11 million this winter.

Some towns are training crews to conserve salt and considering cutting back on salting secondary routes.

Boynton says supplies are adequate -- which is a change from last winter near-record snowfall forced the state to used about 250,000 tons of salt compared with the 180,000 tons used in a typical winter.