ST. PAUL — Cities across Minnesota are turning to spraying a saltwater solution on roads to help keep them ice-free, with some saying it’s more environmentally responsible than spreading rock salt.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has added brine sprayers to its fleet of 840 snowplows. Ramsey County almost tripled its salt-spraying capacity last winter, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported .

“More and more communities are using the liquids,” said Brooke Asleson, who manages programs to encourage salt spraying for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.