March 21st, the first day of spring, was filled with sunshine and the hope of warmer weather on the horizon. March 24th it snowed three plus inches and left Deer Park and surrounding areas covered in a blanket of heavy snow and slush.
I could blame specific individuals who had already taken off their snow tires or were Instagramming pictures of their grassy yards, but reality is that this is what the weather is like here, and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) understands this full well.
The WSDOT, not being surprised by our weather, issued a press release on March 23rd (a day before the winter storm) stating that based on long range weather predictions, the 2018 studded tire removal deadline has been bumped to April 15.
Even with this extension, all studded tires need to be removed no later than the end of the day (11:59 p.m.) Sunday, April 15. Starting Monday, April 16, drivers with studded tires on their vehicles face a $136 traffic infraction.
The Washington law applies to all vehicles in the state, even those visiting from elsewhere. There are no personal exemptions or waivers beyond the extension date. Remove studded tires by the deadline to avoid fines, and prevent road damage.
