HB5054eng 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5054 Engrossed LRB100 19852 LNS 35128 b

AN ACT concerning transportation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Legislative findings. The General Assembly finds that the maximum speed limits for motor vehicles prescribed in a provision concerning general speed restrictions in the Illinois Vehicle Code are presumed to be reasonable and safe maximum speed limits for all highways under the jurisdiction of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.

Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing Section 11-603 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/11-603) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-603)

Sec. 11-603. Alteration of limits by Toll Highway Authority.

(a) Whenever the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority determines, upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation concerning a toll highway under its jurisdiction, that a maximum speed limit prescribed in Section 11-601 of this Chapter is greater or less than is reasonable or safe with respect to conditions found to exist at any place or along any part or zone of such highway, the Authority shall determine and declare by regulation a reasonable and safe absolute maximum speed limit at such place or along such part or zone, and the speed limit shall conform with the maximum speed limit restrictions provided for in Section 11-601 of this Code. A limit so determined and declared becomes effective, and suspends the application of the limit prescribed in Section 11-601 of this Chapter, when (1) (a) the Department concurs in writing with the Authority's regulation, (2) and (b) appropriate signs giving notice of the limit are erected at such place or along such part or zone of the highway, and (3) for a decrease in a speed limit, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules approves the Authority's regulation. The Authority shall not issue a regulation to change a maximum speed limit for vehicles of the second division weighing more than 8,000 pounds that is more than 10 miles per hour less than the maximum speed limit of that highway. Electronic speed-detecting devices shall not be used within 500 feet beyond any such sign in the direction of travel; if so used in violation hereof, evidence obtained thereby shall be inadmissible in any prosecution for speeding.

(b) Beginning 12 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, and except for vehicles of the second division weighing more than 8,000 pounds, the effective absolute maximum speed limit on any part of a highway under the Authority's jurisdiction shall be: (1) except for Interstate Route 294 and the portion of Interstate Route 94 that is between Interstate Route 294 and U.S. Route 41, 70 miles per hour, or the maximum speed limit under subsection (a) of this Section or Section 11-601 or this Code, whichever is less; and (2) 60 miles per hour or the maximum speed limit under subsection (a) of this Section or Section 11-601 of this Code, whichever is less, on Interstate Route 294 and the portion of Interstate Route 94 that is between Interstate Route 294 and U.S. Route 41. If Interstate Route 294 undergoes construction that results in an increase in the maximum design speed limit, the effective absolute maximum speed limit shall be the design speed limit, or the maximum speed limit under subsection (a) of this Section or Section 11-601 of this Code, whichever is less, within 12 months of the design speed limit change. The maximum speed limits under this subsection (b) may be altered under subsection (a) of this Section. The Authority shall issue regulations to implement this subsection (b). With respect to the setting of speed limits, nothing in this subsection (b) shall be construed to increase liability under existing law.

(Source: P.A. 98-511, eff. 1-1-14.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.