Mr.T

This is hilarious! I'll bet a virtual beer that if I email ODOT, I'll probably get a different answer.

Mr.T

Here's what I just sent ODOT. Can't make the question any clearer.

Mr.T

ODOT called me this morning. It was nice to speak with someone and get that instant feedback and clarification from an old fashioned conversation.

Bottom line is that under 10000 pounds with Traction Tires, chains are NOT required to be carried. And it does not matter whether the vehicle is 4WD or not.

She mentioned that their website needs to clarify this, and that Traction Tires have a specific definition -- Studded, Retractable Studded, and Severe Snow rated which are marked with a mountain/snowflake emblem on the sidewall. See https://www.tripcheck.com/Pages/traction-tires.asp

We also talked about the exemption for 4WD vehicles under 6500 LBS that are carrying chains, etc. That's a separate rule, and as soon as 4WD is mentioned people tend to immediately jump to that rule. Finally we talked about "conditional closures" in more severe situations where the requirements are set based on conditions.

dustdriver

Here's your virtual beer!

I'd be reluctant at this point to call them again, for fear of getting a different answer.

Wow. OK. So they told you traction tires on any vehicle under 10000 GVW are good to go and do not need to also be carrying chains? Good to know!

Then I wonder when the "exemption rule" would apply. I guess that rule applies for a 4WD or AWD under 6500 lbs that has only M+S tires or all-terrains (but not "traction tires"), like my JK and so many other rigs on the road, would still need to be carrying chains. BUT... if it had actual traction tires all around, it wouldn't.

Makes a good argument in favor of those BFG KO2's (with the mountain snowflake rating) I've been thinking about! (In fact, I just put some mountain snowflake all-terrain's on my pickup, and the difference is very noticeable; plan to run them on that rig year-round.)

Maybe this inquiry will at least help push ODOT to get the website information updated. Maybe they should just remove the words "traction tires" from the exemption rule, since having traction tires make the rest of the rule irrelevant, it's redundant at that point.

Mr.T

Agree with all of that, can't figure out why they haven't sorted this out on their website (and trained everyone to interpret it the same way). Years ago the large company I used to work for, with hundreds of company vehicles, had a difficult time figuring this out. That's how I learned, glad it hasn't changed. For years I've used the mountain snowflake labeled/rated tires all year, and they work great. I think they work better off-road in the summer as well, probably due to softer rubber or more flexible plies.

16FW

My BFG KMs finally got so bad I got some KO2s. They work great on wet roads. Now I can't wait for ice :-)