Oregon

When can you get studded tires in Oregon? What to know for winter driving

Published

2 months ago

November 1, 2024

When can you get studded tires in Oregon? What to know for winter driving

While winter doesn’t officially start until Dec. 21, Oregon has already begun to see snow and cooler temperatures, which means it’s not too early to get studded tires and chains.

Here’s when you can get studded tires, when you might need them and where to get them.

When are studded tires legal in Oregon?

In Oregon, it’s legal to replace regular traction tires with studded tires from Nov. 1 through March 31.

Studded tires consist of metal studs rooted throughout the tread of the tire that give drivers better traction by digging into packed snow and ice, making for safer driving in winter conditions. For areas of Oregon such as central, eastern and mountain passes that typically see ice and heavy snowfall each year, studded tires and chains are sometimes required.

All highways throughout the state are subject to Oregon’s chain law. In normal winter weather, vehicles rated at 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight or less are allowed to use traction tires in place of chains as long as they’re not towing or being towed, according to Oregon Department of Transportation.

However, in certain road conditions, studded tires may not be enough.

When does Oregon require chains or studded tires?

When going through particularly bad road conditions, drivers may encounter conditional road closures where they will see brightly lit electronic messages letting them know whether chains are required, or if traction tires are enough.

To find out beforehand whether Oregon roads are experiencing any closures, travelers can go to the TripCheck website and view current statewide road conditions.

Should you use studded tires in Oregon?

Due to the impact studded tires have on pavement, the Oregon Department of Transportation advises drivers that studded tires should only be used when necessary.

Research has been conducted on the type of damage studded tires does to roadways, including how the use of studs “can shorten the asphalt surface life of pavements,” according to a report by the ODOT Research Unit.

ODOT recommended that drivers delay using studded tires or even looking into other traction tire options.

In place of studs, all-weather or high-performance tires provide wider tracts, deeper grooves and uneven surfaces to provides better traction for drivers in any road conditions.

Where can drivers purchase studded tires in Oregon?

As the colder months approach, chains, studded tires and other traction tires can be purchased at tire retailers like Les Schwab, Discount Tire and local tire retailers around Oregon.

Costs for studding and purchasing studdable tires will vary depending on the type of vehicle you have.

Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval can be reached at GSandoval@gannett.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval.

Source link

Click to comment

Oregon

No utility rate increases until wildfire lawsuits resolved, Oregon lawmakers propose

Published

24 minutes ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

No utility rate increases until wildfire lawsuits resolved, Oregon lawmakers propose

Three Oregon lawmakers say they plan to introduce a bill that would bar utilities from raising rates if they have unresolved wildfire lawsuits for three or more years, describing it as an effort to hold PacifiCorp accountable as the utility faces a series of lawsuits stemming from the deadly 2020 wildfires that ravaged the state.

Republican state Reps. Jami Cate, Virgle Osborne and Ed Diehl announced their proposal in a statement Monday, on the heels of an approved rate increase for PacifiCorp customers and a federal lawsuit against the electric power company.

The federal government sued PacifiCorp last week over the Archie Creek Fire, which ignited in Oregon’s Douglas County in September 2020 and burned more than 200 square miles, about half of which was federal land. The complaint accuses the company of negligence for failing to maintain its power lines to prevent wildfires. In its filing, the government says it brought the suit to recover “substantial costs and damages.”

A PacifiCorp spokesperson said in an emailed statement Monday that the company was working with the U.S. government to resolve the claims.

“It is unfortunate the U.S. government decided to file a lawsuit in federal district court, however PacifiCorp will continue to work with the U.S. government to find reasonable resolution of this matter,” the statement said.

The federal lawsuit was filed on the same day the Oregon Public Utility Commission approved a 9.8% rate increase for PacifiCorp’s residential customers next year. In its rate case filings, the company said its request to increase rates was partly due to higher costs stemming from wildfire risk and activity.

When the new rate takes effect in January, PacifiCorp rates will have increased nearly 50% since 2021, according to the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, which advocates on behalf of utility customers.

The three lawmakers said they will introduce their bill in the upcoming legislative session, which starts in January.

“The federal government is doing the right thing by filing this lawsuit, and we stand firmly behind it,” Osborne, who is set to be the future bill’s co-chief sponsor, said in a statement. “PacifiCorp needs to pay up and take responsibility for the destruction they’ve caused, and putting a stop to rate hikes is the best way to achieve it.”

PacifiCorp is poised to be on the hook for billions in damages in the series of lawsuits over Oregon’s 2020 fires.

The company has already reached two settlement agreements over the Archie Creek Fire, including one for $299 million with 463 plaintiffs impacted by the blaze and another for $250 million with 10 companies with commercial timber interests, according to its website.

In other litigation, an Oregon jury in June 2023 found it liable for negligently failing to cut power to its 600,000 customers despite warnings from top fire officials and determined it should have to pay punitive and other damages — a decision that applied to a class including the owners of up to 2,500 properties. Since then, other Oregon juries have ordered the company to pay tens of millions to other wildfire victims.

The wildfires that erupted across Oregon over Labor Day weekend in 2020 were among the worst natural disasters in state history, killing nine people and destroying thousands of homes.

— The Associated Press

Source link

Oregon

North Central Oregon and Central Oregon under a wind advisory until Thursday morning

Published

9 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

North Central Oregon and Central Oregon under a wind advisory until Thursday morning

On Wednesday at 2:18 a.m. the National Weather Service issued a wind advisory valid from 10 p.m. until Thursday 10 a.m. for North Central Oregon and Central Oregon.

The weather service states, “South winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected.”

“Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result,” adds the weather service. “Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution.”

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.

Source link