Montgomery County government workers will be encouraged to switch to a four-day workweek under a new plan by County Executive Ike Leggett that won’t cut government costs, but will reduce traffic and save workers cash.

Right now, 11 percent of the county’s roughly 10,000 employees work four 10-hour days a week. Leggett says county government will still operate five days a week, but the push is necessary to help workers save money while gas prices remain high, and take cars off the road to lessen gridlock and help the environment. His staff estimates that converting 800 employees to work four-day, 10-hour schedules will save 50,000 gallons of gas a year — and cut nearly 1 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions a year.