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Studs or no studs? Debate rages on in Washington, Oregon

Studded tires, which cause millions in road damage, legal Tuesday

By Eric Florip, Columbian Transportation & Environment Reporter
Published: November 1, 2011, 12:00am

Tuesday marks the unofficial start of the winter driving season in Washington and Oregon. It also renews the annual, inevitable debate:

Studs or no studs?

Many drivers slap on the toothed traction tires every year to get around in snow and ice. But studded tires also cause considerable damage and rutting to roads and highways, according to both the Washington and Oregon departments of transportation.

A 2006 Washington State Department of Transportation study estimated that Washington’s concrete-paved roadways had absorbed more than $18.2 million in damage to that point from studded tires. An earlier Oregon Department of Transportation study pegged all studded tire damage in Oregon at more than $40 million during a single winter in the 1990s.

Studded tires are allowed from Nov. 1 to March 31 under Washington and Oregon law, though that window can be extended depending on weather conditions.

WSDOT spokeswoman Alice Fiman suggested drivers should use their own discretion. Plenty use studs in the state’s mountainous areas or its colder, snowier eastern half. On Washington’s mild, wet west side — where snow events are generally few and far between — studded tires might not be the best fit, she said.

“It’s just really not a good idea to buy something that’s only going to be used a limited amount of time,” Fiman said. “You really just need to think about what the majority of your travel will include.”

Dramatic decrease

WSDOT’s study showed that the purchase of studded tires had dropped dramatically from the 1990s to early 2000s. Several legislative efforts to ban them in Washington failed in the 1980s and 1990s. In Oregon, a petition now circulating could put a proposed ban to voters there as soon as next year.

John Carver, past president of the Northwest Tire Dealers Association, said he figures studded tires will be banned eventually. But with “tremendous” advances in non-studded winter tires recently, there are plenty of other viable options out there, he said.

Carver, who works at Tires Inc. in Chehalis, estimated that about 25 percent of drivers there opt for studs in the winter. Many are simply used to having them in the winter, he said.

“Really, it’s driver preference — what they feel more comfortable with,” Carver said.

Local tire dealers expected a busy day Tuesday, the first day studs are allowed. But it’s the first actual threat of snow that tends to bring bigger crowds to the auto shop. Weather forecasters are predicting another cool, wet winter for the Northwest, which could mean a higher-than-usual chance of low elevation snow.

WSDOT recommends carrying chains and other supplies for winter driving — studs alone don’t always pass muster in chain-up areas. Most tire companies offer studless snow tires, Carver said.

On wet, bare pavement, some studded tires can actually increase stopping distance compared to no-stud winter traction tires, Fiman said. It’s a good idea to consult with a local tire dealer to figure what the best option is for a given location and winter driving plans, she said.

“Having (studs) for three trips over the mountain isn’t really a good decision,” Fiman said. “Those tires are going to be on your car all winter.”

Eric Florip: 360-735-4541; www.twitter.com/col_enviro; eric.florip@columbian.com.

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Columbian Transportation & Environment Reporter