Studded tires losing popularity in Oregon

Published 2:17 pm Sunday, December 21, 2014

SALEM, Ore. — A new report shows the use of studded tires has dropped in Oregon.

The Oregon Department of Transportation report says the use studded tires in Oregon has fallen 75 percent since 2000, and that has, of course, led to less damage from studded tires.

When the study was done 14 years ago, about 16 percent of registered vehicles in Oregon were equipped with studded tires. The most recent study done in 2014 found a reduction in that number to about 4 percent.

In 2012, studded tires caused an estimated $8.5 million in damage to Oregon highways.