Deadline nears for Alaskans to get studded tires off vehicles

With the arrival of spring comes the annual Alaska ritual of switching out studded tires to avoid getting a ticket.

Drivers in Southeast Alaska, Kodiak and the Alaska Peninsula need to remove studded tires by Friday, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety. For all other Alaska drivers including those in Anchorage and other Southcentral communities, the deadline to change out studded tires is May 1.

Studded tires can cause significant damage to dry roads, according to Alaska Department of Transportation data.

The tires lead to about $13.7 million in statewide damage annually, according to a 2019 study. That’s 42 times the state’s fees from studded tire sales and stud installations, and doesn’t include the cost of crashes and other safety aspects caused by ruts, the study found.

Early snowfall last fall prompted Anchorage officials to allow studded tires in September. The tires are generally permitted from October until May statewide.

State citations can be issued to drivers who continue to use studded tires past the deadline, public safety officials say. Some cities, municipalities and boroughs have their own studded tire ordinances as well.