Washington House approves $5 fee on studded tires

OLYMPIA – Motorists who want to use studded snow tires soon may have to pay more.

Legislation that cleared the state House of Representatives on Friday, and appears to already have Senate support, would impose a $5 fee on each studded tire sold in Washington state beginning next year. Backers describe it as a way to both discourage their use and raise extra money for road repairs.

“They chew up our roads. It costs us millions of dollars,” said state Rep. Cindy Ryu, D-Shoreline, who sponsored the bill. “That’s money that we could spend on other projects.”

According to state estimates, studded tires caused $7.8 million to $11.3 million in damage to Washington’s roads in 2012 alone.

But they remain popular with many motorists, particularly in Eastern Washington, who believe they’re safer in winter conditions and have traditionally fought efforts to ban or further restrict their use. The fee would generate an estimated $500,000 per year in new revenue.

Under the legislation, tire sellers could keep up to 10 percent of the new fee and would face a misdemeanor charge for refusing to collect it. The state’s portion of the revenue would be devoted to road projects and repairs.

The bill comes as lawmakers search for alternatives to gas tax revenue, which continues to decline despite incremental raises in the tax itself. The Senate has proposed an 11.7 cent increase to the state’s 37.5 cent-per-gallon gas tax.

The studded tire bill passed on a 57-40 vote and now goes to the Senate, which included a proposed $5 studded tire fee in its transportation budget.

Current law allows use of studded tires only between Nov. 1 and March 31. Drivers face a $124 fine for using them at other times.

The state Department of Transportation urges drivers to use all-weather tires and tire chains when needed, saying advances in tire technology have vastly improved the traction of non-studded snow tires.