Washington's studded tire season begins Nov. 1

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Department of Transportation reports its crews from Port Angeles to Pullman have trained for winter weather, stocked storage sheds and inspected more than 560 state snowplows.

"Everyone can do their part to keep passes and roadways open. This includes planning trips accordingly if closures occur and staying up to date using WSDOT's online tools," said WSDOT Maintenance Operations Manager James Morin. "As we do every winter, crews will 'swarm to the storm' and move crews and equipment to hard-hit or priority routes during storms."

According to state law, studded tires are legal for use in Washington from Nov. 1 through March 31. WSDOT reports studded tires cause between $20 million and $29 million in pavement damage to state-owned asphalt and concrete roadways each year.

The Washington State Patrol can issue $500 tickets to drivers who fail to install tire chains when posted. WSDOT notes that studded tires do not meet posted chain requirements, and chains must be installed over studded tires in areas where they are required.

In Washington, 25% of residents either don't or can't drive a vehicle. People walking or riding along roadways may be harder to see during storms.

The department has developed several tools for winter travel preparation, including a mobile app, real-time travel maps, and text alerts. Travelers can receive text message alerts about significant delays on Snoqualmie Pass by texting 468311 with the words "WSDOT Snoqualmie."