Preserving Oregon Roads

Green Diamond Tire technology from Iceland will soon be manufactured in the USA.  Green Diamond tires is the process of embedding silicium carbide particles directly into the rubber. Test have proven this tire outperforms all current studdless tires by at least 32%. This tire is also able to be driven year round whereas studded tires and tires like the Bridgestone Blizzak  have to be changed twice a year. CEO Richard Gostenik is in the process of building a plant in Colorado to meet the obvious demand. His focus is the huge environmental savings that retreading tires for winter driving will provide: saving raw materials, recycling tires, preserving roads & safer year-round driving.
Please visit Green Diamond Tire to learn more.
Tire Business article regarding the company
Thanks for your support
Jeff Bernards
chief petitioner

At the request of Oregon Legislators,  James Lundy of OSU’s Department of Civil Engineering researched  the “Use & Effects of Studded Tires on Oregon Pavements.”  This study was finished in 1996, the last study before this was 1974.  I’ve listed the 7 steps that were proposed to resolve the issue of un-funded studded tire damage.  “Most of the options will need legislative support to implement. Options include the following:”

1.  Ban the use of studded tires.
2.  Shorten the length of time studded tires are permitted.
3.  Require that lightweight studs be used instead of studs used currently.
4.  Establish a user fee for those who desire to use studded tires.
5.  Provide pavements more resistant to studded tires.
6.  Educate the public about the damage caused by studded tires and the situations in which studded tires are effective. (For Oregon weather conditions, it is suggested that studs are effective only a few days out of the entire year.)
7. A combination of two, three, four, or more of the options above.

” In 1974, ODOT recommended a prohibition on studded tires based on these costs and the inability to define sufficient safety benefits attributed to studded tires. However, no action was taken by the Oregon legislature to ban studded tires.”

I’ve summarized what I thought were the highlights of the study. Summarized Version “Use & Effects of Studded Tires on Oregon Pavements”

Thanks for your support, Were working hard to get this on the ballot and have Oregon voters decide the fate of our valuable infrastructure.

Jeff Bernards

Chief Petitioner

Our friend & supporter Jonathan Maus of BikePortland.org reports on Initiative’s Progress.

Thanks for ALL your Suppport
Jeffrey Bernards

Chief Petitioner

Howard Hamby who is Spokane, Wa. Pavement Manager, thinks the time has come to ban studded tires once and for all.

“Is banning studded tires politically correct? The answer is yes.  In our current climate of budget challenges it is increasingly important that we protect our infrastructure from excessive damage.  Banning Studded Tires has always been the right thing to do.”

Read more Here

Jeff Bernards

Chief Petitioner

The Washington Legislators are faced with an economic crisis, so they think it’s time studded tire users pay something for the damage they cause.  The point of sale fee means that the average studded tire user will pay about $1.60 per year, considering studded tires last 3 years. The article states that studded tires cause $24.7 million in damage and yet the fee will only raise $475,000 per year.  Why doesn’t government work? (answer: special interest)     The comments on the article are good too.

Read More Here

Jeffrey Bernards

Check out our “new” look website this Friday.