It is the property owner's responsibility to shovel snow from sidewalks fronting their property within 12 hours of the end of the snowfall.  We haven't seen too much of the white stuff this year.  Nevertheless you may have seen some sidewalks that look like this recently.

It is not your imagination.  That is an excessive amount of salt.  But how do you know?

Ask an expert.  Here's a study from Michigan, which knows snow.  A good rule of thumb for regular salt is a handful for a square yard.  If you get calcium chloride (check the label to figure out the active ingredient), that drops to a handful for 3 square yards.

More salt doesn't help it work better either.  It just means more in the eventual runoff.

Some winters we can also face something of a salt shortage, albeit worse in other places, but everyone is getting hit pretty hard.  That also means increased municipal costs.  So conservation is a smart move for your own pocketbook as we look at the season stretching ahead.

Are there any other reasons to try to minimize use of salt?  Well, it's bad for plants, bad for rivers and streams, bad for fish, bad for cars, bad for highway infrastructure, bad for pets, and bad for your floors.

So, shovel, be sparing in the de-icer application, and target specific areas where you may have runoff or condensation to deal with.  Your neighbors, their pets, and the river will thank you.