Medford, Ore.– ODOT reminds you to remove your studded tires. Friday, March 31st marks the end of studded tire season in Oregon.
“We encourage drivers to not wait until the March 31 deadline to remove their studded tires, especially if they aren’t driving in the mountain passes between now and then,” says Luci Moore, State Maintenance and Operations Engineer.
In Oregon, studded tires are permitted from November 1 through March 31, however, the law does allow ODOT to extend the studded tire season when weather conditions make it necessary.
According to ODOT, current weather forecasts do not support an extension this year.
Drivers with studded tires on their cars after the deadline can be fined by law enforcement.
ODOT encourages drivers to use other types of traction tires or chains in order to lower the amount of damage caused by studded tires. An ODOT study in 2014 shows studded tires cause about $8.5 million in damage to state highways every year.
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