Senator Chris Marr is doing the math, and he says the benefit of better traction during treacherous weather conditions doesn’t make up for the amount of damage studded tires do to our roadways.
With Washington facing a $500 million transportation budget shortfall, Marr is proposing a bill that would ban studded tires. And he’s not the only lawmaker trying to mitigate the damage done by studs. Here’s more on this story.
Well I hope they do not just ban studded tires immediately. I think for them to stop selling them is the answer. Several places are advertising non studded tires that have better grip on ice than the studs. I do not put mine on till the first snow, and will take them off this weekend, and my snow tires are at least 10 years old, they do not wear much on snow or icy streets.
If the bill passes, studs would be phased out over the course of several years, so as not to penalize people who just bought them. And the other bill that Senator Tom is proposing would allow you to pay a fee for the privilege of using studded tires. It would be $100 per year, per vehicle that you put studded tires on. It will be interesting to see what happens.