Legislature(2003 - 2004)
03/11/2003 02:13 PM House TRA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 11, 2003
2:13 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Jim Holm, Co-Chair
Representative Beverly Masek, Co-Chair
Representative Cheryll Heinze
Representative Vic Kohring
Representative Mary Kapsner
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Hugh Fate
Representative Albert Kookesh
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 147
"An Act naming the William Ransom Wood Centennial Bridge in
Fairbanks."
- MOVED HB 147 OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE BILL NO. 156
"An Act increasing the motor fuel tax and repealing the special
tax rates on blended fuels; and providing for an effective
date."
- HEARD AND HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 173
"An Act relating to a fee on studded tires; and providing for an
effective date."
- HEARD AND HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 170
"An Act increasing certain motor vehicle registration fees; and
providing for an effective date."
- SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: HB 147
SHORT TITLE:WILLIAM RANSOM WOOD CENTENNIAL BRIDGE
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S)HOLM
Jrn-Date Jrn-Page Action
03/04/03 0377 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME -
REFERRALS
03/04/03 0377 (H) TRA
03/11/03 (H) TRA AT 2:00 PM CAPITOL 17
BILL: HB 156
SHORT TITLE:INCREASE MOTOR FUEL TAX
SPONSOR(S): RLS BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR
Jrn-Date Jrn-Page Action
03/05/03 0424 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME -
REFERRALS
03/05/03 0424 (H) TRA, FIN
03/05/03 0424 (H) FN1: ZERO(DEC)
03/05/03 0424 (H) FN2: (REV)
03/05/03 0424 (H) GOVERNOR'S TRANSMITTAL LETTER
03/05/03 0424 (H) REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
03/11/03 (H) TRA AT 2:00 PM CAPITOL 17
BILL: HB 173
SHORT TITLE:FEE FOR STUDDED TIRES
SPONSOR(S): RLS BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR
Jrn-Date Jrn-Page Action
03/05/03 0447 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME -
REFERRALS
03/05/03 0447 (H) TRA, FIN
03/05/03 0448 (H) FN1: (REV)
03/05/03 0448 (H) GOVERNOR'S TRANSMITTAL LETTER
03/05/03 0448 (H) REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
03/11/03 (H) TRA AT 2:00 PM CAPITOL 17
WITNESS REGISTER
GEORGE LEVASSEUR, Maintenance and Operations Manager
Southcentral District
Northern Region
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF)
Valdez, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information pertaining to HB 156;
testified in support of HB 173, providing information on studded
tires and their effect on the roadways, and on alternatives to
studded tires.
RONALD GEORGE (ph)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on HB 156, expressing concern
regarding the total amount of the proposed tax.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 03-8, SIDE A
Number 0001
CO-CHAIR BEVERLY MASEK called the House Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 2:13 p.m. Representatives Masek,
Holm, Kohring, and Heinze were present at the call to order.
Representative Kapsner arrived as the meeting was in progress.
HB 147-WILLIAM RANSOM WOOD CENTENNIAL BRIDGE
CO-CHAIR MASEK announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 147, "An Act naming the William Ransom Wood
Centennial Bridge in Fairbanks."
Number 0104
CO-CHAIR HOLM, the sponsor of HB 147, provided the following
information:
House Bill 147 will name the bridge in honor of Dr.
William Ransom Wood.
In 1973, Dr. Wood retired as the president of the
University of Alaska after 13 years of service. One
of two University of Alaska presidents who decided to
stay in [the] state, Dr. Wood opened an office in
Fairbanks where international, state, local, and
academic ideas and plans were given birth and
manifested as parks, plazas, hospitals, and industrial
and agricultural growth.
It is important to remember that Dr. Wood was not only
an educator, but also a poet, a thinker, an advocate
for economic development, and an advocate for
individual responsibility and self-reliance. He also
understood the requisite relationship between
successful, self-reliant individuals and a robust,
prosperous community.
Dr. Wood inspired thousands of individuals around the
world through his deeds and dedication for this place
that we call home. He also leaves a legacy of
Alaskans and "Fairbanksans" who consider him a
regional and a local hero - this from a man who asked
no more from life than to leave his community and the
state a little better than he had found it. And at
that he succeeded.
Number 0233
As the executive director of Festival Fairbanks, he
desired to commemorate the centennial of Fairbanks
with a pedestrian bridge crossing the Chena River. By
naming that bridge the William Ransom Wood Centennial
Bridge, we will hopefully inspire future generations
of Alaskans to ponder and aspire to Dr. Wood's simple
yet magnificent legacy, to ask nothing more of life
than to leave our state, our home, just a little
better than we found it.
Number 0263
CO-CHAIR MASEK referred to the committee packet and noted that
it included the following: a series of resolutions in support
of HB 147, a letter of endorsement from U.S. Senator Ted
Stevens, a picture of the proposed bridge, and a map of the
bridge's location in Fairbanks.
CO-CHAIR HOLM testified that the bridge is well under
construction and is expected to be finished this year. He said
the bridge goes from Griffin Park to the Doyon Building, a
Native corporation building located at the north end of the
park.
REPRESENTATIVE HEINZE asked if there was currently a name for
the bridge.
CO-CHAIR MASEK indicated that the bridge was not currently
identified by name, but was identified as bridge number 1995.
Number 0401
CO-CHAIR HOLM moved to report HB 147 out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal
note. There being no objection, HB 147 was reported from the
House Transportation Standing Committee.
HB 156-INCREASE MOTOR FUEL TAX
Number 0444
CO-CHAIR MASEK announced that the next order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 156, "An Act increasing the motor fuel tax and
repealing the special tax rates on blended fuels; and providing
for an effective date."
Number 0554
GEORGE LEVASSEUR, Maintenance and Operations Manager,
Southcentral District, Northern Region, Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), noted that he was
Acting State Maintenance Engineer, and gave an overview of what
is encompassed by the highway user fee. He said that increasing
the highway user fee from $.08 to $.20 a gallon would take
effect July 1, 2003. The increase from $.08 to $.20 will
generate $41 million in additional revenue to the State of
Alaska. The total, raised from the highway user fee at $.20 per
gallon, will be $70 million annually. Each year, the department
spends $60 million in highway maintenance and an additional $50
million in federal match for highway construction; this is a
total of $110 million per year. Even after the tax rises to
$.20 per gallon, 38 states will have a higher fuel tax than
Alaska, when taking into account all state taxes on fuel
purchases.
Number 0640
MR. LEVASSEUR stated that the national average is $.20 per
gallon. The current rate of $.08 was enacted in 1961 when the
annual highway maintenance costs were $10 million. If that $.08
was adjusted for inflation, using the Consumer Price Index
(CPI), the rate would actually be $.48. The department has a
large backlog of deferred highway maintenance projects that have
not been addressed due to lack of funding. The projects include
jobs such as brush cutting, culver replacement, ditching, and
replacing signs. Several years of increased maintenance will be
needed to complete these deferred maintenance projects. This is
a highway user fee for vehicles used on roads and highways. It
is not intended to affect fuel used for snowmobiles, all-terrain
vehicles (ATVs), or motorboats. Alaska is no longer required to
use oxygenated fuels to meet air quality standards. This bill
eliminates the tax benefit that producers and distributors
receive on the production and distribution of oxygenated fuels.
According to the air quality requirements of EPA, Anchorage and
Fairbanks are no longer areas of non-attainment.
Number 0748
CO-CHAIR HOLM noted that there was no mention of JP-8 [jet fuel]
and recalled that the tax for JP-8 was about $.035. He asked
why the fuel for [Boeing] 747s was not being taxed.
Number 0798
MR. LEVASSEUR responded that landing fees are applied to the
large jets that land in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau, and
there are fuel flowage fees as well. In rural Alaska,
increasing the cost of aviation fuel - which is already
extremely high - wouldn't generate a lot of money. Landing fees
and fuel flowage fees are already being paid at the large
airports. He stated that DOT&PF spends about $18 million per
year on airport maintenance.
CO-CHAIR HOLM asked if the cost of airport maintenance versus
the landing fees and other fees could be looked into further.
He said that with the tremendous amount of money being put into
the Anchorage airport, for example, he was interested in finding
out more information on the possibility of lessening the impact
to the state.
MR. LEVASSEUR said that landing fees were only charged at the
international airports. He commented that the Juneau airport is
operated by the municipality and the remaining airports do not
have landing fees. He said he would provide information on
maintenance costs versus the state's collected landing fees and
fuel flowage fees to Co-Chair Holm.
CO-CHAIR MASEK asked if the increased motor fuel tax would only
be at the pumps where gas is obtained for vehicles, thereby not
impacting rural areas such as Anvik where fuel is barged or
flown in to the area.
MR. LEVASSEUR said the tax pertains to highways.
Number 0966
REPRESENTATIVE HEINZE asked for further clarification on the
types of fuel that would be taxed.
MR. LEVASSEUR confirmed that the tax has nothing to do with
aviation fuel and does not apply to off-highway vehicles. The
current rate of $.02 per gallon for a construction vehicle, for
example, will remain the same.
CO-CHAIR MASEK asked how the tax would apply to purchases of
fuel at a gas station for an outboard motor, four-wheeler, ATV,
or lawnmower.
MR. LEVASSEUR referred that question to the Department of
Revenue.
Number 1030
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER asked, if a person drove a snow machine
to the gas pump in Bethel, whether the receipt could be saved
for a refund. She also asked how the tax would apply to a road
like the Chief Eddy Hoffman Highway, which is only about six
miles of road, or some of the other hubs that don't have
highways in or out of the community, but yet are referred to as
highways.
MR. LEVASSEUR said he would research that question and provide
additional information.
Number 1088
RONALD GEORGE (ph), Anchorage, testified that he agreed that
additional money was necessary because the highways need a lot
of work. He expressed concern about U.S. Representative Don
Young's reference to increasing the fuel tax to $.33 per gallon.
MR. LEVASSEUR said that a federal fuel tax already exists.
About $.25 per gallon bought at the pump goes into the Federal
Highway Trust Fund. The federal government disburses that money
to the states on a formula-based means. That money is used to
fund DOT&PF's summer construction program. He said the fuel tax
would not be $.32 in addition to what is now being paid, but
would be a raise of a few cents.
CO-CHAIR HOLM asked if the change from $.08 to $.20 had any
bearing on the additional $.25 to $.33 that Representative Don
Young was proposing.
MR. LEVASSEUR said the state rate was not tied in any way to the
federal rate. He said he was not sure what the federal rate
increase was going to be.
CO-CHAIR MASEK indicated that HB 156 would be held over in
committee.
HB 173-FEE FOR STUDDED TIRES
CO-CHAIR MASEK announced that the next order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 173, "An Act relating to a fee on studded
tires; and providing for an effective date."
Number 1277
GEORGE LEVASSEUR, Maintenance and Operations Manager,
Southcentral District, Northern Region, Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), provided the
following testimony:
This legislation would impose a $10-per-tire surcharge
on all studded tires sold in Alaska beginning on July
1, 2003. Based on projections from the [DOT&PF], the
surcharge would raise an estimated $2 million per
year. Businesses who sell the tires would be allowed
to retain 5 percent of the surcharge, up to $1,000, to
cover their expenses. According to the Department of
Revenue, the state's cost to administer the program
will be about $50,000 per year.
Many drivers use studded tires as an aid to winter
driving to improve traction on icy surfaces. An
analysis of Alaska winter driving conditions [shows]
that primary roads, where traffic volumes are highest,
are covered with ice or snow only about 5 percent of
the time. During the remaining 95 percent of the
"studded tire season," pavements are bare and/or dry.
MR. LEVASSEUR continued:
Alaskan pavement wear rates an average of .13 inches
per million studded-tire passes. This means that for
every 250,000 cars with studded tires that travel over
a one-mile stretch of road, that will generate one
dump truck full of asphalt and aggregate pieces. We
spend over $5 million per year repairing the rutted
roads in Alaska, and we're behind the curve. Our
studies show that every studded tire that's sold
causes about $50 worth of damage.
Studs consist of two main components: we've got a
tungsten carbide steel pin that is surrounded by a
sleeve, either of steel or of aluminum. Heavy studs
had a steel outer shell and a carbide stud; the new
ones are aluminum, which do have a little less wear.
Number 1380
MR. LEVASSEUR referred to photographs depicting studded tires'
impact on pavement, noting the chips in the asphalt and
aggregate. He referred to another photograph of a rutted road
in Anchorage that revealed up to two inches of rutted grooves.
CO-CHAIR HOLM asked if the condition of the Juneau-Douglas
bridge was the result of a similar condition.
MR. LEVASSEUR replied that he wasn't sure, but said it was
probably caused by the same thing if the surface was asphalt
over concrete. He said one could tell by the distance of the
rut, pointing to photograph which revealed a rut measuring 57 to
60 inches, noting that this was the size of a rut from an
intermediate-sized vehicle such as a Subaru, whereas a rut from
a large truck would measure 78 to 83 inches in width.
Number 1432
MR. LEVASSEUR told the committee that speed is also a
significant factor in pavement wear, as studies have shown that
there is 44 percent more wear at 55 mph than at 35 mph.
Number 1465
CO-CHAIR MASEK asked if commercial vehicles, such as double
trailers and the semi-trucks, add wear and tear to the highways.
MR. LEVASSEUR replied that deformation occurs during the summer
months, especially when it's hot, when heavy trucks are
traveling on roads that don't have a heavy asphalt-treated base
underlying the pavements. He said there is some deflection and
deformation; however, the majority of the wear is caused by
studded tires.
Number 1493
MR. LEVASSEUR continued with the following testimony:
When studded tires were first introduced in the late
1960s, they were undoubtedly an effective winter
driving aid. But since then there have been several
other innovations that have dramatically increased
winter driving safety. Some of these are: the anti-
lock braking systems, which are standard on [some]
newer vehicles; radial all-season tires; increased
availability of all-wheel drive vehicles; increased
availability of front-wheel-drive versus rear-wheel-
drive vehicles; very aggressive maintenance programs;
chemical deicing strategies; more sophisticated
plowing-and-scraping maintenance vehicles; a tire
design which is called a "sipe," which is a cross cut
in the tread of the tire to give better traction on
ice; and early warnings by the National Weather
Service of approaching storms has really helped as
well. New research shows that studs only give about a
5 percent increase in traction over winter siped
tires.
Number 1550
CO-CHAIR MASEK inquired as to the cost of "higher technology"
tires as compared with "standard tires."
MR. LEVASSEUR suggested that the difference in cost would be
about 10 percent. He explained that about five years ago, an
aggressive chemical deicing program was begun by the department
in Valdez, involving the use of a chemical called magnesium
chloride, which is a derivative of seawater. He said the
chemical is considered to be a "magic bullet" in the maintenance
field and is being used in two different methods: one is to
spray the sand as it's leaving the sand-spreader, at about 13 to
15 gallons per cubic yard of sand, with a 30 percent magnesium
chloride concentration. When this is sprayed on the sand, it
hits the snow pack on the roadway and immediately dilutes and
imbeds the sand to keep it from blowing off from traffic. Over
time, the magnesium chloride migrates through the snow pack,
hits the pavement, and then breaks the bond between the ice and
the pavement. With repeated plowing and with traffic over the
magnesium chloride, it turns into an "oatmeal-type consistency,"
and within a short period of time following a storm, the roads
are bare again. He said the [deicing program used] on the
primary routes for the past four years has worked wonders, and
accidents have been down. The cost is about $1.40 per gallon of
magnesium chloride, he said.
MR. LEVASSEUR explained that in drier areas, the roads can be
pre-wet with this chemical in order to prevent the ice bonds
from forming; this helps in drier storms, although it is not
very effective in wet storms.
Number 1637
MR. LEVASSEUR continued his testimony as follows:
On one side of the equation, the studded tires provide
the public with a valued safety measure and increased
mobility. On the other hand, the road damage results
in ongoing state expense, an increased amount of
airborne particles, a decrease of the effective life
of our highway traffic markings, and deep pavement
ruts. As you notice as you drive around, we are
losing our "stripes" at an alarming rate; in areas we
sometimes have to stripe three times a season. And
it's real dangerous when you have foggy conditions and
you can't see the centerline or the fog line. So
studs have a real impact on that.
These pavement ruts that you see up here in the
pictures result in four major impacts. The first one
is when the ruts fill with water, we've got excessive
hydroplaning that occurs, especially at high speeds.
The tires float on the trapped water, and it reduces
the driver's ability to steer and to brake. Second,
the ruts cause a channeling of tires, which can cause
a driver to lose steering when making lane changes.
If you've driven on any of these routes that have
these deep-channeled ruts, you know exactly what I'm
talking about. Third, the water from the spray and
splash, as you're driving through that, reduces
visibility and can cause problems for the driver
behind you. Fourth, there is an increased cost of
vehicle maintenance due to wear on shocks, springs,
struts, and needed alignments.
Number 1698
MR. LEVASSEUR continued:
Our department has often been criticized or asked,
"Well, what are you doing to try to help minimize stud
wear?" Well, we've instituted several projects to try
and increase the abrasion resistance of asphalt
pavement. I've been involved in several of [these
projects] personally. One of the major sources of
wear is the lack of hard aggregate in Alaska. Alaska
is a new state, geographically, and we don't have hard
aggregate quarries. We know of only two in the state
that are in the medium range: one is located in
Haines and the other is at Cantwell. Out here, on
Egan Expressway, we have barged in hard aggregate from
Haines and also from DuPont, Washington, where it's
much harder aggregate down there. It's very expensive
to do that, but it does help us in reducing stud wear.
Number 1728
MR. LEVASSEUR continued his testimony:
The second thing is that we've gone to what we call a
stone mastic-type asphalt, where we're using a larger
aggregate; it seems to hold up just a little bit
better. We've also been experimenting with adding
various polymers to our asphalt. I was speaking to
Representative Kohring before, and talking about the
asphalt that we used to use back in the [1970s] when I
was involved in paving, many years ago. Some of the
asphalts came from the [Middle East], but especially
the asphalts that came from Venezuela, particularly
Lake Maracaibo, were very tough, durable asphalts.
Alaska asphalt is inherently soft.
We need to use Alaska asphalt because we're refining
oil here and we need to get rid of the product - and
we're using it. We've undertaken a program to add
polymers to our asphalt, to increase its resiliency
and resistance to wear. A couple of the compounds are
styrene, that you find in the beads that you pack
packages with, and butadiene, which is a rubber-type
chemical. We're also adding plasticizers to our
asphalt to make it tougher and stronger. These, in
combination with the harder aggregate sources - we're
hoping that we get better performance of pavements.
Number 1791
CO-CHAIR HOLM said he recalled the use of "old rubber tires"
that were "chewed up and put into the asphalt mix" and asked why
that procedure was no longer being used.
MR. LEVASSEUR replied that the program was no longer very
effective. He said that it provided for some flexibility in the
asphalt, but it is better if the rubber from the tires is
liquefied because tires are mostly butadiene compound, and this
"gives us more stretch." He said that from a maintenance
perspective, the polymers help by eliminating the thermal cross
cracking. He explained that cracks on roads can be seen about
every two or three hundred feet, due to the thermal contraction
and expansion from summer to winter. The asphalt doesn't have
quite the stretch, but by adding these new polymers, these
thermal cross cracks are almost eliminated, he said.
MR. LEVASSEUR mentioned that this is currently the third year of
a pilot program being conducted in Valdez on Richardson Highway,
from mile 6 to mile 14, with the result that cross cracks have
only been located where there has been a cut-fill transition or
a culvert that's lifted up due to frost conditions. He noted
that there have been experimental projects with polymers in
Juneau, as well. The drawback to using polymers is the
increased cost of paving by about $40,000 per mile; however, if
there are an estimated 65 to 70 cross cracks per mile from
thermal expansion and contraction, and maintenance crews are
sealing all of these cracks to avoid premature pavement-life
failure, then the additional cost would be worth it, he said.
Number 1862
MR. LEVASSEUR told the committee, "We've got our fingers in lots
of different areas, trying to improve the performance of our
Alaskan asphalts." He mentioned that another critical point was
that of asphalt-treated bases that lie underneath the pavements,
explaining that with a thicker base, there is an improved
distribution of the load throughout the "subgrade" instead of
just on the upper two inches. Therefore, more asphalt-treated
base work is being done, he added.
Number 1876
MR. LEVASSEUR stated that studded tires cause an excess of $5
million of pavement wear per year, and that HB 173 is a small
step towards recovering some of those costs by asking users of
studded tires to pay a nominal fee.
Number 1892
CO-CHAIR MASEK referenced the $5 million amount and asked where
the worst wear and tear from studded tires was being generated.
Number 1900
MR. LEVASSEUR replied that the worst areas were the Anchorage
area on the Glenn and Seward Highways; Thompson Pass, south of
Valdez; and in the Juneau area. He said that the Interior
Alaskan areas don't have nearly the stud wear and tear because
the roads are covered more with snow pack, fewer people use
studded tires in the Interior, and there is better traction once
the temperature drops to below 20 degrees.
CO-CHAIR HOLM commented that the previous discussion was leading
to the obvious question, "Why not just get rid of studs
completely?"
MR. LEVASSEUR responded that about 10 years ago, the department
proposed a bill of that nature but it didn't pass. Also, he
continued, in certain cities, the quality of maintenance on the
side streets that is performed by the municipalities isn't up to
the same level as the state's maintenance program. He explained
that there is often one major arterial coming through an area
with many side streets, and the cities don't have the resources
to enact a chemical deicing or scraping program. Oftentimes, if
there is a hilly community adjacent to a state road, there will
be real traction problems on the off-roads.
CO-CHAIR HOLM commented that many vehicles today are either
four-wheel drive or front-wheel drive and that the radial tires
that are available are just as good, or almost just as good, as
studded tires. He said he'd received a letter written by a
Canadian who indicated that studs are not being used in Canada
and that Alaska is one of the last states allowing for the use
of studs on the highways.
MR. LEVASSEUR said that there are only a few states that still
allow studded tires to be used. He told the committee that he
used to live in Minnesota, where hundreds of miles of roads had
been destroyed, and that after the damage was ascertained, studs
were banned in that state. He said that Minnesota countered
that [legislation] with a very aggressive chemical deicing
program and used sodium chloride. Similarly, when Japan had a
similar problem, resulting in banning the use of studded tires,
initially there was a lot of trouble, which it countered by
implementing a more aggressive program that included the use of
siped tires, which then helped to lower the accident rate.
Number 2041
CO-CHAIR HOLM suggested that with the use of magnesium chloride,
banning the use of studded tires might help to solve the
problem, rather than taxing the public for something that may
eventually be discontinued.
MR. LEVASSEUR responded that magnesium chloride is effective for
temperatures as low as 20 degrees, but not for temperatures
below that.
CO-CHAIR HOLM questioned whether the current proposed
legislation was a "Band-Aid approach" and expressed his desire
to consider a long-range approach. He reflected upon the
frequency with which various regions in the state experience
temperatures registering below 20 degrees.
Number 2111
REPRESENTATIVE HEINZE questioned whether the perception of
studded tires' providing additional safety was, in fact, true.
MR. LEVASSEUR responded that years ago, studded tires were much
safer than standard tires. He told the committee that his wife
has used crosscut siped tires for the past three years and that
this has worked very well in Valdez. He maintained that there
will just be times when it's best for a prudent driver, in
response to the weather conditions, to adjust his/her schedule
and to allow time for the crews to use deicing methods. For
example, one might choose to not drive from Eagle River to
Anchorage on a rainy day when the temperature has warmed after
having been zero degrees - a day in which "everybody's in
trouble" because of there being an inch of black ice. He stated
that studies have shown that studs are about 5 percent safer -
that there is approximately 5 percent better traction than that
of the siped tire. He explained that a sipe is a thin, crosscut
line, perpendicular to the flow of the tire, and "they're very
close, about 1/8 inch apart, and as they flex, they grab that
ice and slippery pavement," providing for a high level of
traction. He told the committee that siped tires are becoming
more popular and that he knows of several dealers in Anchorage
who make siped tires available.
Number 2189
CO-CHAIR MASEK asked how much a set of four siped tires would
cost.
MR. LEVASSEUR said that the price was dependent upon whether the
tires were for a large truck or a passenger car, but suggested
that the price would probably be about 5 to 10 percent more
expensive than a standard radial all-season tire, due to the
extra manufacturing process of making that cross cut.
REPRESENTATIVE HEINZE said that her tires were from Norway and
contained chopped walnut [shells] and asked if those tires
damaged the roads as studded tires do.
MR. LEVASSEUR said he didn't believe that the tires damaged the
roads, but noted that the problem with the walnut-shelled tires
is the retention of the walnut shells themselves, in the tires.
Tests have revealed that when vehicles were driven at higher
speeds, less of the walnut shells were maintained, and the tires
became ineffective after one year. He said that a couple of
Scandinavian countries still use studs and mandate the use of
lightweight studs while closely monitoring the duration of
months allowing for their use on vehicles; however, a lot of
areas in Scandinavia have banned the use of studded tires. He
mentioned that throughout coastal and Southcentral Alaska,
during this particular winter, ice and snow pack have been on
the roadways approximately 1 to 2 percent of the time,
indicating that the wear from studs has been phenomenal due to
the roads being bare most of the winter.
REPRESENTATIVE HEINZE asked if technological advances warranted
her changing from "chopped walnuts to a siped tire."
Number 2270
MR. LEVASSEUR responded that she wasn't behind the curve, as the
walnuts are a valid technology that's been available on the
market for quite some time, although he opined that the use of
siped tire would provide for better traction. He mentioned that
siped tires could be used throughout the year, but that
eventually, over time, the cross cuts would be worn down and the
tires would become less effective. He pointed out that studded
tires also become less effective, and are only good for three or
four years.
Number 2242
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER said she didn't realize that such an
expense was being incurred to the overall maintenance of the
road system. She referred to other technologies that had been
suggested, such as anti-lock brakes, radial, all-season tires,
front-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive, and said that those
technologies presumed that people had at their disposal a budget
that allowed one to buy whatever car was desired in order to
meet one's safety requirements. She said that before
considering the elimination of studded tires altogether,
[legislators should recognize] that all Alaskans don't have such
a budget, and that studs provide for a safety measure on roads
which aren't being chemically treated.
MR. LEVASSEUR said the department is not proposing a ban on
studded tire use, but is proposing a $10 user fee on each tire
that is purchased after July 1, 2003; assuming that tires last
for four years, the $40 surcharge would amount to $10 per year
for the use of those tires. He said he didn't think of this as
a huge burden.
REPRESENTATIVE HEINZE asked if the ruts on the highways were the
result of the weight of huge trucks.
MR. LEVASSEUR replied that the distance between the ruts was
indicative of a mid-sized vehicle, which was 55 to 60 inches,
whereas larger trucks measure at about 78 to 83 inches in width.
He said there is deformation that occurs during the summer
months from the larger, overloaded trucks, but that deformation
is minimal compared with what is being experienced from stud
wear.
TAPE 03-8, SIDE B
Number 2358
REPRESENTATIVE HEINZE asked if a SUV [sport-utility vehicle]
qualified as a larger vehicle.
MR. LEVASSEUR confirmed that SUVs were about 6 to 8 inches
wider.
Number 2347
REPRESENTATIVE KOHRING referred to earlier comments concerning
the types of oil used in pavement, with the oil extracted in
Alaska considered as being of a lesser quality than oil from
other areas. He then asked about roads within the state, such
as the Fairview Loop Road, that were paved with a different kind
of oil and considered to be roads of a higher quality. He asked
whether there was any requirement mandating the use of Alaskan
oil.
Number 2305
MR. LEVASSEUR replied that the asphalt that was used in the
1970s came from Venezuela, the Middle East, or even the Gulf of
Mexico, and was a harder asphalt that lasted longer. He said he
was not aware of any statute mandating the use of Alaskan
asphalt; however, he brought up the concern of what would then
be done with the asphalt that was refined in Alaska, if it was
not utilized. He added that over the years, polymers have been
added to the oil, in attempts to improve the quality.
Number 2272
CO-CHAIR MASEK commented that although HB 173 was focused on the
continued usage of studded tires, she wondered about the
possibility of prohibiting the use of certain types of studded
tires, in consideration of eventually phasing out [the use of
studded tires] in the future.
CO-CHAIR MASEK announced that HB 173 would be held over and that
additional public testimony would be heard on March 18th.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Transportation Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 3:05
p.m.
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