Preserving Oregon Roads

The Initiative to Ban Studded Tires is growing bigger everyday.  We’ve moved from my kitchen table to an office space in the Sellwood neighborhood.  Our new address is 8311 SE 13th.  You can pick-up signature kits, drop off signature sheets, meet our dedicated staff, MAKE DONATIONS!  We got our first $1000 donation, everything helps, remember this is our first opportunity in 35 years to end the studded tire debate.

ATTENTION SIGNATURE GATHERS: Our calendar list potential signature gathering opportunities.  Once you’ve spent a few hours gathering signatures, you can see this the right issue at the right time.  The response is overwhelmingly positive, most can’t believe that studded tires are still legal.

SPREAD THE WORD: A people’s initiative needs your help, send this website to ALL your friends, tell them to download a single signature sheet, download a signature kit & MAKE A DONATION for an awesome cause that’s good for all Oregonians.  We have over 100 volunteer signature gathers, you too can join in by registering on the volunteer page.

I’m working 7 days a week to move this initiative forward, I’ve wanted to ban studded tires for as long as I can remember.

Thanks for your support

Jeffrey Bernards

Chief Petitioner

The Oregonian reports today that PDOT plans to forgo repaving for 5 years.  Our initiative to ban studded tires is very timely, indeed.  When you let a road wear past a certain point, the costs goes up exponentially.    An Oregon Legislative Fact sheet  states that Studded Tires cause roads to be replaced twice as often as would be needed without studded tires.  Seems like a no brainer to me, to ban studded tires! Also consider only 10% of Portland drivers use studded tires, 90% of us seem to get around just fine without.

Read the Oregonian Article Here

Remember Politics is money and Preserving Oregon Roads needs those tax-deductible Donations

Thanks,

Jeffrey Bernards

Chief Petitioner

I didn’t think Studded Tires would be an issue in Astoria, it’s at sea level, how wrong I was.  I attended OPB’s presentation at the Liberty theater last night.   I thought I could gather a few signatures and get some support $.  First off, I heard as many studded tires as I do in Portland, maybe more?  I checked the climate calendar for Astoria, the low average temperature for January is 36.7 degrees, not even freezing!  I had some people who were very passionate about banning studded tires & couldn’t wait to sign.  I found that studded tires impact all parts of the state.  I could feel & see the ruts and rough road while driving highway 101.  It’s so time to get rid of these infrastructure wrecking & budget busting tires.  I can’t wait to see it on the ballot in 2012, it’s going to pass in ALL of Oregon, not just Portland.

Remember it’s Politics and that means we need your SUPPORT.

Thanks and Be Safe

Jeffrey Bernards

Chief Petitioner

I was interviewed while gathering signatures in Salem by OPB.  I encountered many ODOT employees who were anxious to sign the intiative.

Read or Listen HERE

Thanks for your support

Jeffrey Bernards

chief petitioner

Back in 2007 Costco decided that with the decline in studded tire demand and the road damage caused by studded tires that they would stop selling studded tires.  Les Schwab has continued to offer the studded tires, even in the face of the obvious damage they cause and with the advent of the new modern Stud-less Snow & Ice Tire.  It’s time our home grown tire company got on board with this initiative and helped get it passed.

Read More Here

I spoke at the Democrats of Deschutes County monthly meeting on Thursday night.   I thought I was going to  ground zero of the studded tire controversy, but to my surprise I was warmly welcomed. I said I came here to listen to what you had to say.   I asked how many people used studded tires, about 1/3, which confirms ODOT’s 2000 study.  So in Bend where studded tires are deemed so necessary a majority of drivers don’t use them.   I made a statement that studded tire users drive on asphalt 98%-99% of the time, the room went quiet, not one person contested my assumption.  I said that’s my point, the benefits of perceived safety don’t out weigh the cost, safety, & negative health effects from studded tire use.

There were several people there to make points about the necessity of studded tires.  I heard the east/west view, Portland making rules for eastern Oregon.   Some blamed ODOT for using inferior road construction materials, basically not acknowledging the damage caused by studded tires.  One attendee said people should learn to drive within the whole lane to even out the ruts. Several spoke that they switched to the Studdless Snow & Ice and would never go back to using studded tires.

Looking back, my feeling is this initiative is going to pass in Bend.

Be Safe and be sure To make your DONATION today, it’s a worthwhile cause.

Jeffrey Bernards

Chief Petitioner

We need to take the signatures to the Secretary of State  by July 7, 2012, there’s no time to waste.  That means we need about 10,000 signatures a month!

We currently have 65 volunteers who have requested signature kits, if you haven’t gotten yours visit the volunteer resources page.  Our new Outreach Materials page has some great stuff that everyone can use to display in their car window, local bulletin board and a Sign Here Sheet.  The Sign Here Sheet I put in a plastic sleeve and tie it around my neck when I gather signatures.   People spot it 15 feet away and come running to sign.  I got 100 signatures in 3 hours at the Hillsdale Farmers Market.  I rarely held the signature board, I had a line of people a lot of the day.

I really need more people to help me and help cover the other Farmers Markets too.  If you need a signature gathering kit I have them ready & I can teach you if your unsure of yourself.  Let’s not wait until the last month to get all 87,000 signatures, let’s get out there now!   Studs are legal now and are on the streets now.  With the grinding noise running around on OUR streets people are reminded how much they hate them and want to sign.  It’s easy to get the signatures, please take a Saturday or Sunday and visit any public place.  It’s fun and rewarding to be involved in an Initiative that has no special interest involved.  The only special interest is us and that’s good enough for me.

Donations, yes those, Donations are still a reality of the Initiative process.  It’s going to cost $300,000 to put this on the ballot.  The rumors are that Les Schwab is loading its big guns (again).  Let’s not let special interest dictate how our infrastructure is used, please help us win this fight for our right to Preserve Our Roads!

Thanks for your time

Jeffrey Bernards
chief petitioner

Tire Track reviews the latest in tire technology & proves again that Stud-less Snow & Ice tires outperform studded tires in more winter driving conditions and cause no damage to our roads!  Review the results here.  Watch test video here.

Volunteers still needed to gather signatures sign up here

and Donations still needed to help keep us going

Thanks  Jeff Bernards

It was great to spread our message, about the state initiative to ban studded tires, to the entire state.   I felt the show was balanced and informative. Take a listen HERE and comment on their site.

Remember this an all volunteer army, with no “special” interest supporting us.  The people who benefit from this are just that, the people of Oregon.  Please help us make the 2012 ballot & DONATE today.

Thanks for your support

Jeff Bernards

chief petitioner

After many delay’s & much fanfare the signature sheets are finally here.  The single signature sheets can be downloaded directly from the website (on the right hand column).  If you want to volunteer to gather signatures ,WE NEED YOU!, were currently taking names and addresses on the volunteer page and will send you an entire kit: signature gathering instructions, FAQ’s, #of signature sheets you request and a ballot description (required).

Thanks for all your help it’s taken almost a year to get here.

And Yes Donations are important, very important

Thanks.

Jeffrey Bernards

chief petitioner