It's time to remove the studs

April 26, 2005

DARRELL L. BREESE/Frontiersman reporter

Mayday, mayday.

Alaska's highways and byways are calling out for help as the deadline to remove studded tires approaches. Motorists have until midnight Sunday to remove studded tires from their vehicles.

John Manly, a spokesman for the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Utilities, said drivers who fail to change their tires over could pay a hefty price in fines and penalties.

Motorists who fail to remove their studded tires by Sunday risk receiving a correctable ticket, if cited in the Mat-Su Borough, which gives them seven days to replace the tires to avoid a $60 fine. Motorists cited in Anchorage for studded tires face a fine of $2 per stud.

Dale Olmstead, service manager with Diversified Tire in Wasilla, estimates that the business received between 80-100 calls Monday asking about the wait time for a changeover.

"People should plan on waiting up to three or four hours now," Olmstead said. "We're doing changeovers on 120-140 cars a day right now. Despite the wait time, I would recommend people plan to get things done before Sunday. The longer people wait, the worse it's gonna get."

Manly said another good reason to remove studded tires is to reduce road damage. "Studies show that studded tires left on during summer months cause grooves in the pavement," he said. "These grooves create dangerous driving conditions, forming hydroplaning problems that can lead to serious accidents."

Every year, DOT and local communities spend millions of dollars repairing damage to roadways inflicted by studded tires.

Manly said he believes the dollar amount would be a lot more if studs were allowed year-round.

"We recognize that it is inconvenient and is not cheap to change tires every spring," Manly added. "It is summer time and people need to get their studs off to help prevent road damage."