For many, studded tire issue raises ire

People who think college football’s “Civil War” week in mid-November can get heated should try stepping between committed studded snow tire users and their passionate opponents.

It’s neighbor versus neighbor as winter approaches in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene.

“The 2 percent of the driving time in the Northwest when studs give a marginal advantage is, in my estimation, far outweighed by the tremendous cost to all of us for repairing the damage done during the other 98 percent of driving time,” said Paul Argo in response to Getting There’s request last week for raves and rants on the topic.

Argo’s position, like that of many stud opponents, is that safe driving behavior combined with studless winter tires should be enough to traverse the area in snowy and icy conditions.

“Studs serve only as psychological comfort,” said John Brown, another stud hater.

The haters are so fervent in their beliefs that many studded tire users said they were afraid to be named in the paper.

“I couldn’t get up the hill near my home in north Spokane County without studs,” said one, who blamed city dwellers for giving studs a bad name.

The Washington State Department of Transportation has been pushing hard for drivers to abandon studs.

Go to its Web site ( www.wsdot.wa.gov) and you’ll find pages of reasons to go studless, including:

•Mud and snow tires can be used year-round. Studs can’t.

•Studs only work better on icy roads, not wet ones.

•Studs have caused $18.2 million in damage to state highways.

“The propaganda is working great,” said John Michaels, manager of Liberty Tire & Auto Service at Sprague Avenue and Sullivan Road in Spokane Valley.

Heavy semitrucks cause more roadway damage than studs, said Michaels, who added that other winter tires work better in almost all conditions, but that’s not going to convince many people.

Tony Mitchell sees different preferences from different customers at the Perfection Tire & Auto Repair shop he manages on Government Way in Coeur d’Alene. But almost all of them know what they want when they come in for tires.

“Studded tires still outnumber studless by a landslide,” said Mitchell.

“What you’re seeing with a lot of the newer vehicles coming out, they’re coming with larger tires and wheels. Those tires are readily available in a studless tire technology,” he said. “Older vehicles (by that I mean four years and older) are primarily studded.”

So what does Mitchell use?

He drives a four-wheel drive truck with extreme traction, all-season tires. No studs.

But he puts studded tires on his wife’s vehicle.

The enforcers

Better put the drink down.

Three North Idaho troopers were honored last week for their work arresting drunken drivers – a whopping 20 percent of the DUI arrests for the entire state.

Idaho State Police Troopers Paul Burke, Holly Branch and Jeff Jayne were not only recognized for that achievement. They were given tools to do even more – three preliminary breath test devices that will allow them to measure drivers’ blood-alcohol levels by the side of the road, rather than having to take them to the jail.

Leaf pickup

Once upon a time, Spokane residents could rake their leaves into the street for city crews to sweep them up.

Once upon a time, people drove around town in horse-drawn buggies.

Both times are long gone.

The city of Spokane begins today its annual leaf pickup routes. You can help by moving your vehicle off the street when crews are in your neighborhood and keeping the leaves from your yard in your yard.

This week’s routes are in the Driscoll area today, the Audubon area today and Tuesday, Shadle Park area Tuesday, Clark Park and Downriver areas on Wednesday, and Northwest Boulevard, Woodridge and Hillyard on Sunday.

The Northwest Boulevard area, Hillyard and Pacific Park area will be swept Nov. 13.

Freya frustration

Don’t you hate it when the job isn’t done right the first time?

South Hill residents living off of Freya Street put up with two more days of construction last week because of crumbling pavement around manholes and other utilities.

After enduring months of crazy detours to get to and from their homes, drivers in the area quickly realized the pavement hadn’t been properly compacted and had to be replaced by Spokane Rock Products crews.

The city blamed the problem on weather changes.

Slow going

Downtown Spokane

Post Street is restricted between the Post Street Bridge and Spokane Falls Boulevard daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Expect slowdowns.

North Spokane

Two lanes will be closed Thursday on Nevada Street between Hawthorne Road and Westview Court. Expect detours.

Perry Street traffic could be slowed this week between Bridgeport Avenue and Illinois Avenue as crews repair the street.

Work at Waikiki and North Five Mile Road could cause closures and one-way traffic. Expect delays.

Wheelchair ramps are being installed and crews are striping on Monroe Street from Francis to where Monroe intersects with Wall near Holy Cross Cemetery. Expect delays.

West Plains

Hayford Road is under construction from Highway 2 to Sprague Avenue. Only one lane of traffic is open in each direction.

South Spokane

U.S. Highway 195 work between Plaza and Rosalia could necessitate single-lane traffic and short delays.