Do not be shocked if you see the unmistakable white lines of brine on area roads again ahead of the work week. According to the National Weather Service, snow is expected to hit the area again after 1 p.m. on Sunday and continue through Monday morning before it gives way to rain. One snow removal tool used more among municipalities is a salt brine mixture used to pre-treat the roads before a potential storm. The hope is that pre-treating the roads will delay the slippery conditions that complement a snowstorm for motorists coming through the area. It can also stretch out salt supplies and keep the treatment on the roads instead of being kicked off onto the shoulder or other places. Salt brine also has its critics because of its ability to coat cars after it is freshly sprayed, and in some communities, it is being used more often than may be needed. Door County Highway Commissioner Thad Ash says they stick to a formula for applying salt brine to area roads and pick the spots where they use it.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, they can cover 209 miles when they spread $1,000 of road salt as a brine compared to 80 miles without mixing it.  Wisconsin used 387,000 tons of road salt during the 2021-2022 winter season, compared to 325,000 tons in 2020-2021 and 425,000 tons in 2019-2021.