Washington state legislators are considering a bill that would add a $5 per tire fee on all studdable tires sold in the state.
The fee would supposedly cover the cost of damage done to state roadways by the use of tire studs.
Senate Bill 6032 was filed last month and referred to the Senate Transportation Committee last week. Committee chairwoman Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano Island, Wash., is one of the bill’s co-sponsors.
According to a state report, studded snow tires cause an estimated $24.7 million in damage to the state’s roads every year. The fee, which would be collected when a new studded snow tire is sold, would raise about $475,000 per year. The money would be placed in a motor vehicle account set aside for road maintenance, according to reports.