GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) - Wednesdays snow storm gave the City of Green Bay a chance to use its new investment.

The equipment is saving taxpayers' dollars while keeping roads safer.

"I am getting ready to get in that truck and go plow" says Green Bay plow driver Jim Terrien.

With several inches of snow in the forecast Green Bay plow drivers prepared for long shifts.

"Generally we will not do more than 16 hours on and a minimum of 4 hours off" explains Chris Pirlot, Operations Director, Green Bay Department of Public Works.

However, a large investment in high tech salt equipment is allowing the department of public works to put in fewer man hours.

"When we do go plow it is not bonded to the pavement. We can plow it a lot easier" Pirlot says.

Green Bay invested around $150,000 in the system. A machine mixes salt with water to create a brine. It can be used to pre-treat roads before a storm hits.

"That is working really good" says Terrien. "We get it on there, keeps the snow from sticking right away. It definitely helps".

16 trucks also got overhauled with equipment to wet salt before it hits the road.

"When you use brine you can save easily up to 30 percent of your salt just from it not bouncing off the road into the gutter where it doesn't do any help" says Pirlot.

Green Bay expects to save around $85,000 each winter. The system will pay for itself by next year.

However, the city is not spending those surplus dollars just yet.

"We could have a healthy winter yet to come we do not know" says Pirlot with a smile.

Because they City of Green Bay has only had three major plowing operations this season, it is on track to have a budget surplus.

That money would go into a general fund to keep the tax levy low.