State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HB0431ham001

 










                                             LRB9101378KSsbam

 1                     AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 431

 2        AMENDMENT NO.     .  Amend House Bill  431  by  replacing
 3    the title with the following:
 4        "AN ACT concerning railroads, amending named Acts."; and

 5    by  replacing  everything  after the enacting clause with the
 6    following:

 7        "Section  5.  The  Motor  Fuel  Tax  Law  is  amended  by
 8    changing Section 8 as follows:

 9        (35 ILCS 505/8) (from Ch. 120, par. 424)
10        Sec.  8.   Except  as  provided  in Section 8a, all money
11    received by the Department under this Act, including payments
12    made to the Department by member jurisdictions  participating
13    in  the  International Fuel Tax Agreement, shall be deposited
14    in a special fund in the State treasury, to be known  as  the
15    "Motor Fuel Tax Fund", and shall be used as follows:
16        (a)  2  1/2  cents  per  gallon  of  the tax collected on
17    special fuel under paragraph (b) of Section 2 and Section 13a
18    of this Act shall be transferred to  the  State  Construction
19    Account Fund in the State Treasury;
20        (b)  $420,000  shall  be  transferred  each  month to the
21    State Boating Act Fund  to  be  used  by  the  Department  of
 
                            -2-              LRB9101378KSsbam
 1    Natural  Resources for the purposes specified in Article X of
 2    the Boat Registration and Safety Act;
 3        (c)  $1,500,000 shall be transferred each  month  to  the
 4    Grade  Crossing  Protection  Fund  to be used as follows: not
 5    less than $6,000,000 each fiscal year shall be used  for  the
 6    construction   or   reconstruction   of  rail  highway  grade
 7    separation structures; beginning with fiscal  year  1997  and
 8    ending  in fiscal year 2002 1999, $1,500,000, and $750,000 in
 9    fiscal year 2003 2000 and each fiscal year  thereafter  shall
10    be  transferred  to  the  Transportation  Regulatory Fund and
11    shall be accounted for as part of the rail carrier portion of
12    such  funds  and  shall  be  used  to   pay   the   cost   of
13    administration of the Illinois Commerce Commission's railroad
14    safety program in connection with its duties under subsection
15    (3)  of  Section  18c-7401 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, with
16    the remainder to be used by the Department of  Transportation
17    upon  order  of the Illinois Commerce Commission, to pay that
18    part of the cost apportioned by such Commission to the  State
19    to  cover  the interest of the public in the use of highways,
20    roads or streets in the county highway system,  township  and
21    district road system or municipal street system as defined in
22    the  Illinois Highway Code, as the same may from time to time
23    be amended,  for  separation  of  grades,  for  installation,
24    construction,  or  reconstruction, or maintenance of crossing
25    protection devices or reconstruction, alteration,  relocation
26    including construction or improvement of any existing highway
27    necessary  for access to property or improvement of any grade
28    crossing including the necessary highway  approaches  thereto
29    of  any  railroad  across  the highway or public road, or for
30    costs of maintenance, repair, reconstruction, or  replacement
31    of  the  grade crossing surface structure, or to compensate a
32    highway authority in interest for the closure of  a  crossing
33    that  otherwise  would qualify for automatic warning devices,
34    as provided for in and in accordance with Section 18c-7401 of
 
                            -3-              LRB9101378KSsbam
 1    the Illinois Vehicle Code.  In entering orders  for  projects
 2    for  which  payments  from the Grade Crossing Protection Fund
 3    will be made, the Commission shall account  for  expenditures
 4    authorized  by  the  orders  on a cash rather than an accrual
 5    basis.  For purposes of this requirement an  "accrual  basis"
 6    assumes that the total cost of the project is expended in the
 7    fiscal  year  in  which  the  order is entered, while a "cash
 8    basis" allocates the cost of the project among  fiscal  years
 9    as  expenditures are actually made.  To meet the requirements
10    of this subsection, the Illinois  Commerce  Commission  shall
11    develop  annual  and  5-year  project  plans of rail crossing
12    capital improvements that will be paid for with  moneys  from
13    the  Grade Crossing Protection Fund.  The annual project plan
14    shall identify projects for the succeeding  fiscal  year  and
15    the  5-year  project  plan  shall identify projects for the 5
16    directly  succeeding  fiscal  years.   The  Commission  shall
17    submit the annual and 5-year project plans for this  Fund  to
18    the  Governor,  the  President  of  the  Senate,  the  Senate
19    Minority Leader, the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
20    and  the  Minority  Leader of the House of Representatives on
21    the first Wednesday in April of each year;
22        (d)  of the amount remaining after  allocations  provided
23    for  in  subsections  (a),  (b)  and (c), a sufficient amount
24    shall be reserved to pay all of the following:
25             (1)  the costs  of  the  Department  of  Revenue  in
26        administering this Act;
27             (2)  the  costs  of the Department of Transportation
28        in performing its duties imposed by the Illinois  Highway
29        Code  for  supervising  the  use  of motor fuel tax funds
30        apportioned  to   municipalities,   counties   and   road
31        districts;
32             (3)  refunds  provided for in Section 13 of this Act
33        and  under  the  terms  of  the  International  Fuel  Tax
34        Agreement referenced in Section 14a;
 
                            -4-              LRB9101378KSsbam
 1             (4)  from October 1, 1985 until June 30,  1994,  the
 2        administration  of  the Vehicle Emissions Inspection Law,
 3        which  amount  shall  be   certified   monthly   by   the
 4        Environmental  Protection Agency to the State Comptroller
 5        and  shall  promptly  be   transferred   by   the   State
 6        Comptroller and Treasurer from the Motor Fuel Tax Fund to
 7        the  Vehicle Inspection Fund, and beginning July 1, 1994,
 8        and until December 31, 2000, one-twelfth  of  $25,000,000
 9        each   month   for  the  administration  of  the  Vehicle
10        Emissions Inspection Law of 1995, to  be  transferred  by
11        the  State  Comptroller and Treasurer from the Motor Fuel
12        Tax Fund into the Vehicle Inspection Fund;
13             (5)  amounts ordered paid by the  Court  of  Claims;
14        and
15             (6)  payment  of  motor fuel use taxes due to member
16        jurisdictions under the terms of the  International  Fuel
17        Tax   Agreement.   The  Department  shall  certify  these
18        amounts to the Comptroller by the 15th day of each month;
19        the Comptroller shall cause orders to be drawn  for  such
20        amounts, and the Treasurer shall administer those amounts
21        on or before the last day of each month;
22        (e)  after  allocations  for  the  purposes  set forth in
23    subsections (a), (b), (c) and (d), the remaining amount shall
24    be apportioned as follows:
25             (1)  58.4% shall be deposited as follows:
26                  (A)  37% into the  State  Construction  Account
27             Fund, and
28                  (B)  63%  into  the  Road  Fund,  $1,250,000 of
29             which  shall  be  reserved  each   month   for   the
30             Department   of   Transportation   to   be  used  in
31             accordance with the  provisions  of  Sections  6-901
32             through 6-906 of the Illinois Highway Code;
33             (2)  41.6% shall be transferred to the Department of
34        Transportation to be distributed as follows:
 
                            -5-              LRB9101378KSsbam
 1                  (A)  49.10% to the municipalities of the State,
 2                  (B)  16.74% to the counties of the State having
 3             1,000,000 or more inhabitants,
 4                  (C)  18.27% to the counties of the State having
 5             less than 1,000,000 inhabitants,
 6                  (D)  15.89% to the road districts of the State.
 7        As  soon  as may be after the first day of each month the
 8    Department of Transportation shall allot to each municipality
 9    its  share  of  the  amount  apportioned   to   the   several
10    municipalities which shall be in proportion to the population
11    of  such  municipalities  as determined by the last preceding
12    municipal census if conducted by the  Federal  Government  or
13    Federal  census.  If territory is annexed to any municipality
14    subsequent to the time  of  the  last  preceding  census  the
15    corporate authorities of such municipality may cause a census
16    to  be  taken of such annexed territory and the population so
17    ascertained  for  such  territory  shall  be  added  to   the
18    population  of  the  municipality  as  determined by the last
19    preceding census for the purpose of determining the allotment
20    for that municipality.  If the population of any municipality
21    was not determined by the last Federal census  preceding  any
22    apportionment,  the  apportionment to such municipality shall
23    be in accordance with any census taken by such  municipality.
24    Any  municipal  census  used  in accordance with this Section
25    shall be certified to the Department of Transportation by the
26    clerk of such municipality, and the accuracy thereof shall be
27    subject to approval of the Department  which  may  make  such
28    corrections as it ascertains to be necessary.
29        As  soon  as may be after the first day of each month the
30    Department of Transportation shall allot to each  county  its
31    share  of  the  amount apportioned to the several counties of
32    the State as herein provided. Each allotment to  the  several
33    counties  having  less than 1,000,000 inhabitants shall be in
34    proportion to  the  amount  of  motor  vehicle  license  fees
 
                            -6-              LRB9101378KSsbam
 1    received  from  the residents of such counties, respectively,
 2    during the preceding calendar year. The  Secretary  of  State
 3    shall,  on  or  before April 15 of each year, transmit to the
 4    Department of  Transportation  a  full  and  complete  report
 5    showing  the  amount  of  motor vehicle license fees received
 6    from the residents of each county, respectively,  during  the
 7    preceding  calendar  year.  The  Department of Transportation
 8    shall, each month, use for allotment purposes the  last  such
 9    report received from the Secretary of State.
10        As  soon as may be after the first day of each month, the
11    Department of  Transportation  shall  allot  to  the  several
12    counties their share of the amount apportioned for the use of
13    road districts.  The allotment shall be apportioned among the
14    several  counties  in  the  State in the proportion which the
15    total mileage of township or district roads in the respective
16    counties bears to the  total  mileage  of  all  township  and
17    district roads in the State. Funds allotted to the respective
18    counties  for  the  use  of  road  districts therein shall be
19    allocated to the several road districts in the county in  the
20    proportion  which  the  total  mileage  of  such  township or
21    district roads in the respective road districts bears to  the
22    total  mileage  of all such township or district roads in the
23    county.  After July 1 of any year,  no  allocation  shall  be
24    made  for  any  road district unless it levied a tax for road
25    and bridge purposes in  an  amount  which  will  require  the
26    extension  of  such  tax  against the taxable property in any
27    such road district at a rate of not less than either .08%  of
28    the  value  thereof,  based  upon the assessment for the year
29    immediately prior to the year in which such  tax  was  levied
30    and  as  equalized by the Department of Revenue or, in DuPage
31    County, an amount equal to or greater than $12,000  per  mile
32    of   road  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  road  district,
33    whichever is less.  If any road district has levied a special
34    tax for road purposes pursuant to Sections 6-601,  6-602  and
 
                            -7-              LRB9101378KSsbam
 1    6-603  of  the Illinois Highway Code, and such tax was levied
 2    in an amount which would require extension at a rate  of  not
 3    less  than .08% of the value of the taxable property thereof,
 4    as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue, or, in
 5    DuPage County, an amount equal to or greater than $12,000 per
 6    mile of road under the jurisdiction  of  the  road  district,
 7    whichever  is  less,  such  levy  shall, however, be deemed a
 8    proper compliance with this Section and  shall  qualify  such
 9    road  district  for  an  allotment  under this Section.  If a
10    township has transferred to the road and  bridge  fund  money
11    which,  when  added to the amount of any tax levy of the road
12    district would be the equivalent  of  a  tax  levy  requiring
13    extension  at a rate of at least .08%,  or, in DuPage County,
14    an amount equal to or greater than $12,000 per mile  of  road
15    under  the  jurisdiction  of  the road district, whichever is
16    less, such transfer, together with any such tax  levy,  shall
17    be  deemed  a  proper  compliance with this Section and shall
18    qualify  the  road  district  for  an  allotment  under  this
19    Section.
20        In counties in which a property tax extension  limitation
21    is  imposed  under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law,
22    road districts may retain their entitlement to a  motor  fuel
23    tax  allotment  if,  at  the  time the property tax extension
24    limitation was imposed, the road district was levying a  road
25    and  bridge tax at a rate sufficient to entitle it to a motor
26    fuel  tax  allotment  and  continues  to  levy  the   maximum
27    allowable  amount  after  the  imposition of the property tax
28    extension  limitation.   Any  road  district   may   in   all
29    circumstances  retain  its  entitlement  to  a motor fuel tax
30    allotment if it levied a road and bridge  tax  in  an  amount
31    that  will  require  the  extension  of  the  tax against the
32    taxable property in the road district at a rate of  not  less
33    than  0.08% of the assessed value of the property, based upon
34    the assessment for the year immediately preceding the year in
 
                            -8-              LRB9101378KSsbam
 1    which the tax was levied and as equalized by  the  Department
 2    of  Revenue  or,  in  DuPage  County,  an  amount equal to or
 3    greater than $12,000 per mile of road under the  jurisdiction
 4    of the road district, whichever is less.
 5        As  used  in  this Section the term "road district" means
 6    any road district, including a  county  unit  road  district,
 7    provided  for  by  the  Illinois  Highway  Code; and the term
 8    "township or district road" means any road  in  the  township
 9    and  district  road system as defined in the Illinois Highway
10    Code.  For the purposes of this Section, "road district" also
11    includes  park  districts,  forest  preserve  districts   and
12    conservation  districts  organized  under  Illinois  law  and
13    "township  or  district road" also includes such roads as are
14    maintained by park districts, forest preserve  districts  and
15    conservation  districts.   The  Department  of Transportation
16    shall determine the mileage  of  all  township  and  district
17    roads  for  the purposes of making allotments and allocations
18    of motor fuel tax funds for use in road districts.
19        Payment of motor fuel tax moneys  to  municipalities  and
20    counties  shall  be  made  as  soon  as  possible  after  the
21    allotment  is  made.   The  treasurer  of the municipality or
22    county may invest these funds until their use is required and
23    the interest earned by these investments shall be limited  to
24    the same uses as the principal funds.
25    (Source:  P.A.  89-167,  eff.  1-1-96;  89-445,  eff. 2-7-96;
26    89-699, eff. 1-16-97;  90-110,  eff.  7-14-97;  90-655,  eff.
27    7-30-98;  90-659,  eff.  1-1-99; 90-691, eff. 1-1-99; revised
28    9-16-98.)

29        Section  10.  The Illinois Vehicle  Code  is  amended  by
30    changing Section 18c-7401 as follows:

31        (625 ILCS 5/18c-7401) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 18c-7401)
32        Sec.    18c-7401.    Safety   Requirements   for   Track,
 
                            -9-              LRB9101378KSsbam
 1    Facilities, and Equipment.
 2        (1)  General  Requirements.  Each  rail  carrier   shall,
 3    consistent with rules, orders, and regulations of the Federal
 4    Railroad Administration, construct, maintain, and operate all
 5    of  its equipment, track, and other property in this State in
 6    such a manner as to pose no undue risk to  its  employees  or
 7    the person or property of any member of the public.
 8        (2)  Adoption  of  Federal  Standards.  The  track safety
 9    standards and accident/incident standards promulgated by  the
10    Federal  Railroad Administration shall be safety standards of
11    the Commission.  The Commission may, in  addition,  adopt  by
12    reference  in  its  regulations other federal railroad safety
13    standards,  whether  contained  in  federal  statutes  or  in
14    regulations adopted pursuant to such statutes.
15        (3)  Railroad Crossings.
16        No public road, highway, or  street  shall  hereafter  be
17    constructed  across  the  track of any rail carrier at grade,
18    nor shall the track of any rail carrier be constructed across
19    a public road, highway or street  at  grade,  without  having
20    first  secured  the  permission  of the Commission; provided,
21    that this Section shall  not  apply  to  the  replacement  of
22    lawfully  existing roads, highways and tracks. The Commission
23    shall permit the construction of a public road,  highway,  or
24    street  across  the  track  of  a rail carrier (i) if, in its
25    opinion, the public safety and public  convenience    justify
26    the grade crossing and (ii) upon a determination that a grade
27    separation structure is  not a viable alternative due to lack
28    of  funding,  or  engineering  constraints,  or  both.    The
29    Commission  shall  have the right to refuse its permission or
30    to grant  it  upon  such  terms  and  conditions  as  it  may
31    prescribe.   The Commission shall have power to determine and
32    prescribe the  manner,  including  the  particular  point  of
33    crossing,   and   the   terms   of  installation,  operation,
34    maintenance, use and protection of each such crossing.    The
 
                            -10-             LRB9101378KSsbam
 1    Commission  shall apportion all maintenance costs between the
 2    highway authority in interest and the rail carrier  based  on
 3    the  benefits  each  party derives from the installation of a
 4    new grade crossing.  The Commission may allocate moneys  from
 5    the  Grade Crossing Protection Fund to pay for all or part of
 6    these costs.
 7        The Commission shall also have power, after a hearing, to
 8    require major alteration  of  or  to  abolish  any  crossing,
 9    heretofore or hereafter established, when in its opinion, the
10    public  safety  requires  such  alteration or abolition, and,
11    except  in  cities,  villages  and  incorporated   towns   of
12    1,000,000  or more inhabitants, to vacate and close that part
13    of the highway on such  crossing  altered  or  abolished  and
14    cause  barricades  to  be erected across such highway in such
15    manner as to prevent the use of such crossing as  a  highway,
16    when,   in   the   opinion  of  the  Commission,  the  public
17    convenience served by the crossing in question is not such as
18    to justify the further retention thereof;  or  to  require  a
19    separation  of  grades,  at  such  crossings; or to require a
20    separation  of  grades  at  any  proposed  crossing  where  a
21    proposed public highway may cross  the  tracks  of  any  rail
22    carrier or carriers; and to prescribe, after a hearing of the
23    parties,  the terms upon which such separations shall be made
24    and the proportion in which the expense of the alteration  or
25    abolition of such crossings or the separation of such grades,
26    having  regard  to the benefits, if any, accruing to the rail
27    carrier or any party in interest, shall  be  divided  between
28    the  rail  carrier  or  carriers  affected,  or  between such
29    carrier or carriers and the State,  county,  municipality  or
30    other  public  authority  in  interest.    However,  a public
31    hearing by the Commission to abolish a crossing shall not  be
32    required  when  the  public  highway  authority  in  interest
33    vacates  the  highway.   In  such  instance the rail carrier,
34    following notification to  the  Commission  and  the  highway
 
                            -11-             LRB9101378KSsbam
 1    authority,  shall  remove  any grade crossing warning devices
 2    and the grade crossing surface. The Commission shall endeavor
 3    to  achieve  a  reduction  in  public  grade   crossings   as
 4    recommended by the Federal Railroad Administration.
 5        The  Commission  shall  also  have  power by its order to
 6    require   the   reconstruction,   minor   alteration,   minor
 7    relocation or improvement  of  any  crossing  (including  the
 8    necessary  highway approaches thereto) of any railroad across
 9    any highway or public road, whether such crossing be at grade
10    or  by  overhead  structure  or  by  subway,   whenever   the
11    Commission  finds  after  a  hearing  or without a hearing as
12    otherwise   provided   in   this    paragraph    that    such
13    reconstruction,  alteration,  relocation  or  improvement  is
14    necessary to preserve or promote the safety or convenience of
15    the  public  or  of  the employees or passengers of such rail
16    carrier or carriers.  By its original order  or  supplemental
17    orders   in   such  case,  the  Commission  may  direct  such
18    reconstruction, alteration, relocation, or improvement to  be
19    made in such manner and upon such terms and conditions as may
20    be  reasonable  and  necessary  and may apportion the cost of
21    such reconstruction, alteration,  relocation  or  improvement
22    and  the subsequent maintenance thereof, having regard to the
23    benefits, if any, accruing to the railroad or  any  party  in
24    interest,  between  the  rail  carrier or carriers and public
25    utilities affected, or between such carrier or  carriers  and
26    public utilities and the State, county, municipality or other
27    public  authority in interest.  The cost to be so apportioned
28    shall include the cost  of  changes  or  alterations  in  the
29    equipment of public utilities affected as well as the cost of
30    the  relocation,  diversion  or  establishment  of any public
31    highway, made necessary by such  reconstruction,  alteration,
32    relocation  or improvement of said crossing.  A hearing shall
33    not be required in those instances when the Commission enters
34    an order  confirming  a  written  stipulation  in  which  the
 
                            -12-             LRB9101378KSsbam
 1    Commission,  the  public  highway  authority in interest, the
 2    rail carrier or carriers affected, and in instances involving
 3    the use of the Grade Crossing Protection Fund,  the  Illinois
 4    Department  of  Transportation,  agree on the reconstruction,
 5    alteration, relocation, or  improvement  and  the  subsequent
 6    maintenance thereof and the division of costs of such changes
 7    of  any  grade  crossing  (including  the  necessary  highway
 8    approaches thereto) of any railroad across any highway.
 9        Every  rail  carrier  operating  in the State of Illinois
10    shall construct and maintain every highway crossing over  its
11    tracks   within   the  State  so  that  the  roadway  at  the
12    intersection  shall  be  as   flush   with   the   rails   as
13    superelevated   curves  will  allow,  and,  unless  otherwise
14    ordered by the Commission, shall construct and  maintain  the
15    approaches  thereto at a grade of not more than 5% within the
16    right of way for a distance of not less the 6  feet  on  each
17    side  of  the  centerline  of such tracks; provided, that the
18    grades at the approaches may be maintained in  excess  of  5%
19    only when authorized by the Commission.
20        Every  rail  carrier  operating  within  this State shall
21    remove from its right of way at all  grade  crossings  within
22    the  State, such brush, shrubbery, and trees as is reasonably
23    practical for a distance of not less than 500 feet in  either
24    direction from each grade crossing. The Commission shall have
25    power,  upon  its  own  motion,  or upon complaint, and after
26    having made proper investigation, to require the installation
27    of  adequate  and  appropriate  luminous  reflective  warning
28    signs, luminous flashing signals, crossing gates  illuminated
29    at night, or other protective devices in order to promote and
30    safeguard  the  health  and  safety  of  the public. Luminous
31    flashing signal or crossing gate devices installed  at  grade
32    crossings,  which have been approved by the Commission, shall
33    be deemed adequate and appropriate. The Commission shall have
34    authority to determine the number, type, and location of such
 
                            -13-             LRB9101378KSsbam
 1    signs, signals, gates, or  other  protective  devices  which,
 2    however,  shall  conform  as  near  as  may be with generally
 3    recognized national standards, and the Commission shall  have
 4    authority  to  prescribe  the  division  of  the  cost of the
 5    installation  and  subsequent  maintenance  of  such   signs,
 6    signals,  gates, or other protective devices between the rail
 7    carrier  or  carriers,  the  public  highway   authority   in
 8    interest,  and  in  instances  involving the use of the Grade
 9    Crossing  Protection  Fund,  the   Illinois   Department   of
10    Transportation.
11        No  railroad  may  change  or  modify  the warning device
12    system  at  a  railroad-highway  grade  crossing,   including
13    warning  systems  interconnected with highway traffic control
14    signals, without having first received the  approval  of  the
15    Commission.   The  Commission  shall  have the further power,
16    upon application, upon its own motion, or upon complaint  and
17    after  having  made  proper  investigation,  to  require  the
18    interconnection   of  grade  crossing  warning  devices  with
19    traffic control signals at highway intersections  located  at
20    or  near railroad crossings within the distances described by
21    the State Manual on Uniform Traffic Control  Devices  adopted
22    pursuant  to Section 11-301 of this Code.  In addition, State
23    and local authorities may not install, remove, modernize,  or
24    otherwise   modify  traffic  control  signals  at  a  highway
25    intersection  that  is  interconnected  or  proposed  to   be
26    interconnected  with  grade crossing warning devices when the
27    change affects the  number,  type,  or  location  of  traffic
28    control  devices  on  the  track  approach leg or legs of the
29    intersection  or  the  timing  of  the  railroad   preemption
30    sequence  of  operation until the Commission has approved the
31    installation,  removal,   modernization,   or   modification.
32    Commission  approval  shall  be  limited  to consideration of
33    issues  directly  affecting  the   public   safety   at   the
34    railroad-highway  grade  crossing.   The  electrical  circuit
 
                            -14-             LRB9101378KSsbam
 1    devices,  alternate warning devices, and preemption sequences
 2    shall  conform  as  nearly  as  possible,   considering   the
 3    particular  characteristics  of the crossing and intersection
 4    area, to the State manual adopted by the Illinois  Department
 5    of Transportation pursuant to Section 11-301 of this Code and
 6    such  federal  standards as are made applicable by subsection
 7    (2) of this Section.  In order to carry out  this  authority,
 8    the  Commission  shall  have  the  authority to determine the
 9    number, type, and location of traffic control devices on  the
10    track approach leg or legs of the intersection and the timing
11    of  the  railroad  preemption   sequence  of  operation.  The
12    Commission   shall   prescribe  the  division  of  costs  for
13    installation and maintenance of all devices required by  this
14    paragraph  between  the railroad or railroads and the highway
15    authority in interest and in instances involving the  use  of
16    the  Grade  Crossing  Protection Fund or a State highway, the
17    Illinois Department of Transportation.
18        Any person who unlawfully or maliciously removes,  throws
19    down,  damages  or  defaces  any  sign, signal, gate or other
20    protective device,  located  at  or  near  any  public  grade
21    crossing,  shall  be  guilty of a petty offense and fined not
22    less than $50 nor  more  than  $200  for  each  offense.   In
23    addition to fines levied under the provisions of this Section
24    a  person  adjudged  guilty hereunder may also be directed to
25    make restitution for the costs of repair or  replacement,  or
26    both, necessitated by his misconduct.
27        It  is  the  public  policy  of  the State of Illinois to
28    enhance public safety by establishing safe  grade  crossings.
29    In  order  to  implement  this  policy, the Illinois Commerce
30    Commission is directed to  conduct  public  hearings  and  to
31    adopt  specific  criteria  by  July  1,  1994,  that shall be
32    adhered to by the Illinois Commerce Commission in determining
33    if a grade crossing  should  be  opened  or  abolished.   The
34    following   factors  shall  be  considered  by  the  Illinois
 
                            -15-             LRB9101378KSsbam
 1    Commerce Commission in developing the specific  criteria  for
 2    opening and abolishing grade crossings:
 3             (a)  timetable speed of passenger trains;
 4             (b)  distance to an alternate crossing;
 5             (c)  accident history for the last 5 years;
 6             (d)  number  of  vehicular  traffic and posted speed
 7        limits;
 8             (e)  number of freight trains  and  their  timetable
 9        speeds;
10             (f)  the type of warning device present at the grade
11        crossing;
12             (g)  alignments of the roadway and railroad, and the
13        angle of intersection of those alignments;
14             (h)  use  of  the  grade crossing by trucks carrying
15        hazardous materials,  vehicles  carrying  passengers  for
16        hire, and school buses; and
17             (i)  use   of   the   grade  crossing  by  emergency
18        vehicles.
19        The Illinois Commerce Commission, upon petition  to  open
20    or  abolish a grade crossing, shall enter an order opening or
21    abolishing the crossing if it  meets  the  specific  criteria
22    adopted by the Commission.
23        Except  as  otherwise provided in this subsection (3), in
24    no instance shall a  grade  crossing  be  permanently  closed
25    without  public  hearing  first being held and notice of such
26    hearing being published in an area newspaper of local general
27    circulation.
28        (4)  Freight   Trains   -   Radio   Communications.   The
29    Commission shall after hearing and order require  that  every
30    main  line  railroad  freight  train operating on main tracks
31    outside of yard limits within this State  shall  be  equipped
32    with  a  radio  communication  system.   The Commission after
33    notice and hearing may grant exemptions from the requirements
34    of this Section as to secondary and branch lines.
 
                            -16-             LRB9101378KSsbam
 1        (5)  Railroad  Bridges  and  Trestles   -   Walkway   and
 2    Handrail.  In cases in which the Commission finds the same to
 3    be practical and necessary for safety of railroad  employees,
 4    bridges and trestles, over and upon which railroad trains are
 5    operated,  shall  include  as  a  part  thereof,  a  safe and
 6    suitable walkway and handrail on one side only of such bridge
 7    or trestle, and such handrail shall be located at  the  outer
 8    edge of the walkway and shall provide a clearance of not less
 9    than  8  feet,  6 inches, from the center line of the nearest
10    track, measured at right angles thereto.
11        (6)  Packages  Containing  Articles  for  First  Aid   to
12    Injured  on Trains. All rail carriers shall provide a package
13    containing the articles prescribed by the Commission, on each
14    train or engine, for first aid to persons who may be  injured
15    in the course of the operation of such trains.
16        (7)  Abandoned  Bridges, Crossings, and Other Rail Plant.
17    The  Commission  shall  have  authority,  after  notice   and
18    hearing, to order:
19             (a)  The  removal  of  any abandoned railroad tracks
20        from roads, streets or other thoroughfares in this State;
21        and
22             (b)  The  removal  of  abandoned  overhead  railroad
23        structures crossing highways, waterways, or railroads.
24        The Commission may equitably apportion the cost  of  such
25    actions   between   the  rail  carrier  or  carriers,  public
26    utilities, and the  State,  county,  municipality,  township,
27    road district, or other public authority in interest.
28        (8)  Railroad-Highway   Bridge   Clearance.   A  vertical
29    clearance of not less than 23 feet  above  the  top  of  rail
30    shall  be  provided  for  all  new  or  reconstructed highway
31    bridges constructed over a railroad  track.   The  Commission
32    may  permit  a  lesser clearance if it determines that the 23
33    foot  clearance  standard  cannot  be  justified   based   on
34    engineering, operational, and economic conditions.
 
                            -17-             LRB9101378KSsbam
 1    (Source: P.A. 89-699, eff. 1-16-97; 90-691, eff. 1-1-99.)

 2        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect July
 3    1, 1999.".

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