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92_SB0274 LRB9207396ARsb 1 AN ACT concerning vehicles. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by 5 changing Sections 15-111 and 15-316 as follows: 6 (625 ILCS 5/15-111) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 15-111) 7 Sec. 15-111. Wheel and axle loads and gross weights. 8 (a) No vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with 9 pneumatic tires shall be operated, unladen or with load, upon 10 the highways of this State when the gross weight on the road 11 surface through any single axle thereof exceeds 18,000 12 pounds, except when a different limit is established and 13 posted in accordance with Section 15-316 and except any 14 single axle of a 2 axle motor vehicle weighing 36,000 pounds 15 or less and not a part of a combination of vehicles, shall 16 not exceed 20,000 pounds. Provided, however, that any single 17 axle of a 2 axle motor vehicle equipped with a personnel lift 18 or digger derrick, weighing 36,000 pounds or less, owned and 19 operated by a public utility, shall not exceed 20,000 pounds. 20 No vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with other 21 than pneumatic tires shall be operated, unladen or with load, 22 upon the highways of this State when the gross weight on the 23 road surface through any wheel thereof exceeds 800 pounds per 24 inch width of tire tread or when the gross weight on the road 25 surface through any axle thereof exceeds 16,000 pounds. The 26 gross weight transmitted to the road surface through tandem 27 axles shall not exceed 32,000 pounds and no axle of the 28 series shall exceed the maximum weight permitted under this 29 Section for a single axle. Provided that on a 4 axle vehicle 30 or on a 5 or more axle combination of vehicles the weight on 31 a series of 3 axles whose centers are more than 96 inches -2- LRB9207396ARsb 1 apart, measured between extreme axles in the series, shall 2 not exceed those allowed on 3 axles in the table contained in 3 subsection (f) of this Section and no axle or tandem axle of 4 the series shall exceed the maximum weight permitted under 5 this Section for a single or tandem axle. Provided also that 6 a 3 axle vehicle or 3 axle truck mixer registered as a 7 Special Hauling Vehicle, used exclusively for the mixing and 8 transportation of concrete, specially equipped with a road 9 surface engaging mixer trailing 4th axle, manufactured 10 prior to or in the model year of 2004 and first registered in 11 Illinois prior to January 1, 2005, with a distance greater 12 than 72 inches but not more than 96 inches between any series 13 of 2 axles may transmit to the road surface a maximum weight 14 of 18,000 pounds on each of these axles with a gross weight 15 on these 2 axles not to exceed 36,000 pounds. Any such 16 vehicle manufactured in the model year of 2004 or thereafter 17 or first registered in Illinois after December 31, 2004 may 18 transmit to the road surface a maximum of 32,000 pounds 19 through these 2 axles and none of the axles shall exceed 20 18,000 pounds. 21 A truck, not in combination and specially equipped with a 22 selfcompactor, or an industrial roll-off hoist and roll-off 23 container, used exclusively for garbage or refuse operations, 24 and a truck used exclusively for the collection of rendering 25 materials may, however, when laden, transmit upon the road 26 surface of any highway except when part of the National 27 System of Interstate and Defense Highways, a gross weight 28 upon a single axle not more than 22,000 pounds, and upon a 29 tandem axle not more than 40,000 pounds. When unladen, 30 however, those trucks shall comply with the axle limitations 31 applicable to all other trucks. 32 A 2 axle truck specially equipped with a front loading 33 compactor used exclusively for garbage, refuse, or recycling 34 may transmit 20,000 pounds per axle provided that the gross -3- LRB9207396ARsb 1 weight of the vehicle does not exceed 40,000 pounds. 2 (b) The gross weight of vehicles and combination of 3 vehicles including the weight of the vehicle or combination 4 and its maximum load isshall besubject to the foregoing 5 limitations and further mayshallnot exceed the following 6 gross weights dependent upon the number of axles and distance 7 between extreme axles of the vehicle or combination measured 8 longitudinally to the nearest foot. 9 VEHICLES HAVING 2 AXLES ....................... 36,000 pounds 10 VEHICLES OR COMBINATIONS 11 HAVING 3 AXLES 12 With Tandem With or 13 Axles Without 14 Tandem Axles 15 Minimum Minimum 16 distance to Maximum distance to Maximum 17 nearest foot Gross nearest foot Gross 18 between Weight between Weight 19 extreme axles (pounds) extreme axles (pounds) 20 10 feet 41,000 16 feet 46,000 21 11 42,000 17 47,000 22 12 43,000 18 47,500 23 13 44,000 19 48,000 24 14 44,500 20 49,000 25 15 45,000 21 feet or more 50,000 26 VEHICLES OR COMBINATIONS 27 HAVING 4 AXLES 28 Minimum Minimum 29 distance to Maximum distance to Maximum 30 nearest foot Gross nearest foot Gross 31 between Weight between Weight 32 extreme axles (pounds) extreme axles (pounds) 33 15 feet 50,000 26 feet 57,500 -4- LRB9207396ARsb 1 16 50,500 27 58,000 2 17 51,500 28 58,500 3 18 52,000 29 59,500 4 19 52,500 30 60,000 5 20 53,500 31 60,500 6 21 54,000 32 61,500 7 22 54,500 33 62,000 8 23 55,500 34 62,500 9 24 56,000 35 63,500 10 25 56,500 36 feet or more 64,000 11 In applying the above table to a vehicle having more than 12 4 axles that is not in combination, only 4 axles shall be 13 considered in determining the maximum gross weights. 14 COMBINATIONS HAVING 5 OR MORE AXLES 15 Minimum distance to Maximum 16 nearest foot between Gross Weight 17 extreme axles (pounds) 18 42 feet or less 72,000 19 43 73,000 20 44 feet or more 73,280 21 VEHICLES OPERATING ON CRAWLER TYPE TRACKS ..... 40,000 pounds 22 TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SELFCOMPACTORS 23 OR ROLL-OFF HOISTS AND ROLL-OFF CONTAINERS FOR GARBAGE 24 OR REFUSE HAULS ONLY AND TRUCKS USED FOR 25 THE COLLECTION OF RENDERING MATERIALS 26 On Highway Not Part of National System 27 of Interstate and Defense Highways 28 with 2 axles 36,000 pounds 29 with 3 axles 54,000 pounds 30 TWO AXLE TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 31 A FRONT LOADING COMPACTOR USED EXCLUSIVELY 32 FOR THE COLLECTION OF GARBAGE, REFUSE, OR RECYCLING 33 with 2 axles 40,000 pounds -5- LRB9207396ARsb 1 (c) Cities having a population of more than 50,000 may 2 permit by ordinance axle loads on 2 axle motor vehicles 33 3 1/2% above those provided for herein, but the increase shall 4 not become effective until the city has officially notified 5 the Department of the passage of the ordinance and shall not 6 apply to those vehicles when outside of the limits of the 7 city, nor shall the gross weight of any 2 axle motor vehicle 8 operating over any street of the city exceed 40,000 pounds. 9 (d) Weight limitations shall not apply to vehicles 10 (including loads) operated by a public utility when 11 transporting equipment required for emergency repair of 12 public utility facilities or properties or water wells. 13 A combination of vehicles, including a tow truck and a 14 disabled vehicle or disabled combination of vehicles, that 15 exceeds the weight restriction imposed by this Code, may be 16 operated on a public highway in this State provided that 17 neither the disabled vehicle nor any vehicle being towed nor 18 the tow truck itself shall exceed the weight limitations 19 permitted under this Chapter. During the towing operation, 20 neither the tow truck nor the vehicle combination shall 21 exceed the following axle weight limitations: 22 A. 24,000 pounds - Single rear axle; 23 B. 44,000 pounds - Tandem rear axle; 24 Gross weight limits shall not apply to the combination of 25 the tow truck and vehicles being towed. The tow truck 26 license plate must cover the operating empty weight of the 27 tow truck only. The weight of each vehicle being towed shall 28 be covered by a valid license plate issued to the owner or 29 operator of the vehicle being towed and displayed on that 30 vehicle. If no valid plate issued to the owner or operator of 31 that vehicle is displayed on that vehicle, or the plate 32 displayed on that vehicle does not cover the weight of the 33 vehicle, the weight of the vehicle shall be covered by the 34 third tow truck plate issued to the owner or operator of the -6- LRB9207396ARsb 1 tow truck and temporarily affixed to the vehicle being towed. 2 In addition, the following conditions must be met: 3 (1) the towing vehicle must be: 4 a. specifically designed as a tow truck having 5 a gross vehicle weight rating of at least 18,000 6 lbs. and equipped with air brakes provided that air 7 brakes shall be required only if the towing vehicle 8 is towing a vehicle, semitrailer, or tractor-trailer 9 combination that is equipped with airbrakes; 10 b. equipped with flashing, rotating or 11 oscillating amber lights, visible for at least 500 12 feet in all directions; and 13 c. capable of utilizing the lighting and 14 braking systems of the disabled vehicle or 15 combination of vehicles. 16 (2) The towing of the vehicles on the highways of 17 this State shall not exceed 20 miles from the initial 18 point of wreck or disablement. Any additional movement of 19 the vehicles shall only occur upon issuance of 20 authorization for that movement under the provisions of 21 Sections 15-301 through 15-319 of this Chapter. 22 The Department may by rule or regulation prescribe 23 additional requirements. However, nothing in this Code shall 24 prohibit a tow truck under instructions of a police officer 25 from legally clearing a disabled vehicle, that may be in 26 violation of weight limitations of this Chapter, from the 27 roadway to the berm or shoulder of the highway. 28 For the purpose of this subsection, gross vehicle weight 29 rating, or GVWR, shall mean the value specified by the 30 manufacturer as the loaded weight of the tow truck. 31 (e) No vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with 32 pneumatic tires shall be operated, unladen or with load, upon 33 the highways of this State in violation of the provisions of 34 any permit issued under the provisions of Sections 15-301 -7- LRB9207396ARsb 1 through 15-319 of this Chapter. 2 (f) Notwithstanding any other provision in this Code, 3 except for those provisions of subsection (d) of this Section 4 relating to emergency operations of public utilities and tow 5 trucks while actually engaged in the towing of a disabled 6 vehicle, and those vehicles for which the Department issues 7 overweight permits under authority of Section 15-301 of this 8 Code, the weight limitations contained in this subsection 9 shall apply to the National System of Interstate and Defense 10 Highways and other highways in the system of State highways 11 that have been designated by the Department as Class I, II, 12 or III. No vehicle shall be operated on the highways with a 13 weight in excess of 20,000 pounds carried on any one axle or 14 with a tandem axle weight in excess of 34,000 pounds, or a 15 gross weight in excess of 80,000 pounds for vehicle 16 combinations of 5 axles or more, or a gross weight on a group 17 of 2 or more consecutive axles in excess of that weight 18 produced by the application of the following formula: 19 W = 500 times the sum of (LN divided by N-1) + 12N + 36 20 Where "W" equals overall gross weight on any group of 2 or 21 more consecutive axles to the nearest 500 pounds; "L" equals 22 the distance measured to the nearest foot between extremes of 23 any group of 2 or more consecutive axles; and "N" equals the 24 number of axles in the group under consideration, except that 25 2 consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of 26 34,000 pounds each, provided the overall distance between the 27 first and last axles of the consecutive sets of tandem axles 28 is 36 feet or more. Provided also that a 3-axle vehicle 29 registered as a Special Hauling Vehicle manufactured prior to 30 or in the model year of 2004, and first registered in 31 Illinois prior to January 1, 2005, with a distance greater 32 than 72 inches but not more than 96 inches between the 2 rear 33 axles may transmit to the road surface a maximum weight of 34 18,000 pounds on each of the 2 rear axles with a gross weight -8- LRB9207396ARsb 1 on these 2 axles not to exceed 36,000 pounds. Any vehicle 2 registered as a Special Hauling Vehicle manufactured prior to 3 or in the model year of 2004 or thereafter or first 4 registered in Illinois after December 31, 2004, may transmit 5 to the road surface a maximum of 34,000 pounds through the 2 6 rear axles and neither of the rear axles shall exceed 20,000 7 pounds. 8 The above formula when expressed in tabular form results 9 in allowable loads as follows: 10 Distance measured 11 to the nearest 12 foot between the 13 extremes of any Maximum load in pounds 14 group of 2 or carried on any group of 15 more consecutive 2 or more consecutive axles 16 axles 17 feet 2 axles 3 axles 4 axles 5 axles 6 axles 18 4 34,000 19 5 34,000 20 6 34,000 21 7 34,000 22 8 38,000* 42,000 23 9 39,000 42,500 24 10 40,000 43,500 25 11 44,000 26 12 45,000 50,000 27 13 45,500 50,500 28 14 46,500 51,500 29 15 47,000 52,000 30 16 48,000 52,500 58,000 31 17 48,500 53,500 58,500 32 18 49,500 54,000 59,000 33 19 50,000 54,500 60,000 34 20 51,000 55,500 60,500 66,000 -9- LRB9207396ARsb 1 21 51,500 56,000 61,000 66,500 2 22 52,500 56,500 61,500 67,000 3 23 53,000 57,500 62,500 68,000 4 24 54,000 58,000 63,000 68,500 5 25 54,500 58,500 63,500 69,000 6 26 55,500 59,500 64,000 69,500 7 27 56,000 60,000 65,000 70,000 8 28 57,000 60,500 65,500 71,000 9 29 57,500 61,500 66,000 71,500 10 30 58,500 62,000 66,500 72,000 11 31 59,000 62,500 67,500 72,500 12 32 60,000 63,500 68,000 73,000 13 33 64,000 68,500 74,000 14 34 64,500 69,000 74,500 15 35 65,500 70,000 75,000 16 36 66,000 70,500 75,500 17 37 66,500 71,000 76,000 18 38 67,500 72,000 77,000 19 39 68,000 72,500 77,500 20 40 68,500 73,000 78,000 21 41 69,500 73,500 78,500 22 42 70,000 74,000 79,000 23 43 70,500 75,000 80,000 24 44 71,500 75,500 25 45 72,000 76,000 26 46 72,500 76,500 27 47 73,500 77,500 28 48 74,000 78,000 29 49 74,500 78,500 30 50 75,500 79,000 31 51 76,000 80,000 32 52 76,500 33 53 77,500 34 54 78,000 -10- LRB9207396ARsb 1 55 78,500 2 56 79,500 3 57 80,000 4 *If the distance between 2 axles is 96 inches or less, the 2 5 axles are tandem axles and the maximum load permitted is 6 34,000 pounds, notwithstanding the higher limit resulting 7 from the application of the formula. 8 In applying the above formula to a vehicle having more 9 than 4 axles that is not a combination, only 4 axles shall be 10 considered in determining the maximum gross weight, and for a 11 combination of vehicles having more than 6 axles, only 6 12 axles shall be considered in determining the maximum gross 13 weight. 14 Notwithstanding the above table, 2 consecutive sets of 15 tandem axles may carry a gross weight of 34,000 pounds each 16 if the overall distance between the first and last axles of 17 the consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more. 18 Local authorities and road district highway 19 commissioners, with respect to streets and highways under 20 their jurisdiction, without additional fees, may also by 21 ordinance or resolution allow the weight limitations of this 22 subsection, provided the maximum gross weight on any one axle 23 shall not exceed 20,000 pounds and the maximum gross weight 24 on any tandem axle shall not exceed 34,000 pounds, on 25 designated highways when appropriate regulatory signs giving 26 notice are erected upon the street or highway or portion of 27 any street or highway affected by the ordinance or 28 resolution. 29 Combinations of vehicles, registered as Special Hauling 30 Vehicles that include a semitrailer manufactured prior to or 31 in the model year of 2004, and first registered in Illinois 32 prior to January 1, 2005, having 5 axles with a distance of 33 42 feet or less between extreme axles shall be limited to the 34 weights prescribed in subsections (a) and (b) of this Section -11- LRB9207396ARsb 1 and not subject to the bridge formula on the National System 2 of Interstate and Defense Highways and other highways in the 3 system of State highways designated by the Department. For 4 all those combinations of vehicles, that include a 5 semitrailer manufactured after the effective date of this 6 amendatory Act of 1986, the overall distance between the 7 first and last axles of the 2 sets of tandems must be 18 feet 8 6 inches or more. All combinations of vehicles registered as 9 Special Hauling Vehicles that include a semitrailer 10 manufactured prior to or in the model year of 2004 or 11 thereafter or first registered in Illinois after December 31, 12 2004, or that has had its cargo container replaced in its 13 entirety after December 31, 2004, are limited to the gross 14 weight allowed by the above formula. 15 A truck not in combination, equipped with a self 16 compactor or an industrial roll-off hoist and roll-off 17 container, used exclusively for garbage or refuse operations, 18 shall be allowed the weights as prescribed in subsections (a) 19 and (b) of this Section and not subject to the bridge 20 formula, provided they are not operated on a highway that is 21 part of the Interstate and Defense Highway System. 22 Vehicles operating under this subsection shall have 23 access for a distance of one highway mile to or from a Class 24 I highway on any street or highway, unless there is a sign 25 prohibiting the access, or 5 highway miles to or from either 26 a Class I, II, or III highway on a street or highway included 27 in the system of State highways and upon any street or 28 highway designated by local authorities or road district 29 commissioners to points of loading and unloading and to 30 facilities for food, fuel, repairs and rest. 31 Section 5-35 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act 32 relating to procedures for rulemaking shall not apply to the 33 designation of highways under this subsection. 34 (g) No person shall operate a vehicle or combination of -12- LRB9207396ARsb 1 vehicles over a bridge or other elevated structure 2 constituting part of a highway with a gross weight that is 3 greater than the maximum weight permitted by the Department, 4 when the structure is sign posted as provided in this 5 Section. 6 (h) The Department upon request from any local authority 7 shall, or upon its own initiative may, conduct an 8 investigation of any bridge or other elevated structure 9 constituting a part of a highway, and if it finds that the 10 structure cannot with safety to itself withstand the weight 11 of vehicles otherwise permissible under this Code the 12 Department shall determine and declare the maximum weight of 13 vehicles that the structures can withstand, and shall cause 14 or permit suitable signs stating maximum weight to be erected 15 and maintained before each end of the structure. No person 16 shall operate a vehicle or combination of vehicles over any 17 structure with a gross weight that is greater than the posted 18 maximum weight. 19 (i) Upon the trial of any person charged with a 20 violation of subsections (g) or (h) of this Section, proof of 21 the determination of the maximum allowable weight by the 22 Department and the existence of the signs, constitutes 23 conclusive evidence of the maximum weight that can be 24 maintained with safety to the bridge or structure. 25 (Source: P.A. 89-117, eff. 7-7-95; 89-433, eff. 12-15-95; 26 90-89, eff. 1-1-98; 90-330, eff. 8-8-97; 90-655, eff. 27 7-30-98.) 28 (625 ILCS 5/15-316) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 15-316) 29 Sec. 15-316. When the Department, local authority or road 30 district highway commissioner may restrict right to use 31 highways. 32 (a) Local authorities and road district highway 33 commissioners with respect to highways under their -13- LRB9207396ARsb 1 jurisdiction may by ordinance or resolution prohibit the 2 operation of vehicles upon any such highway or impose 3 restrictions as to the weight of vehicles to be operated upon 4 any such highway, for a total period of not to exceed 90 days 5 in any one calendar year, whenever any said highway by reason 6 of deterioration, rain, snow, or other climate conditions 7 will be seriously damaged or destroyed unless the use of 8 vehicles thereon is prohibited or the permissible weights 9 thereof reduced. 10 (b) The local authority or road district highway 11 commissioner enacting any such ordinance or resolution shall 12 erect or cause to be erected and maintained signs designating 13 the provision of the ordinance or resolution at each end of 14 that portion of any highway affected thereby, and the 15 ordinance or resolution shall not be effective unless and 16 until such signs are erected and maintained. 17 (c) Local authorities and road district highway 18 commissioners with respect to highways under their 19 jurisdiction may also, by ordinance or resolution, prohibit 20 the operation of trucks or other commercial vehicles, or may 21 impose limitations as the weight thereof, on designated 22 highways, which prohibitions and limitations shall be 23 designated by appropriate signs placed on such highways. 24 (c-1) The weight provisions of subsections (a), (b), and 25 (c) take precedence over the provisions of subsections (d-1) 26 and (d-2). 27 (d) The Department shall likewise have authority as 28 hereinbefore granted to local authorities and road district 29 highway commissioners to determine by resolution and to 30 impose restrictions as to the weight of vehicles operated 31 upon any highway under the jurisdiction of said department, 32 and such restrictions shall be effective when signs giving 33 notice thereof are erected upon the highway or portion of any 34 highway affected by such resolution. -14- LRB9207396ARsb 1 (d-1) Motor vehicles and motor vehicles in combination 2 with gross weights not exceeding 73,280 pounds and up to 65 3 feet in overall length and 102 inches in width operating on 4 highways under the control of a county or township road 5 district highway commissioner may have access for a distance 6 of 5 miles from a State designated highway for the purpose of 7 loading, unloading, services, and home base. No exemption 8 shall be granted authorizing travel on local roads as a 9 thoroughfare between State designated highways. 10 (d-2) Motor vehicles and motor vehicles in combination 11 with gross weights not exceeding 73,280 pounds and up to 65 12 feet in overall length and 102 inches in width operating on 13 highways under the control of municipal authorities may have 14 access for 5 miles from a State designated highway for the 15 purpose of loading and unloading and one mile for food, fuel, 16 repairs, and rest on those municipally controlled highways. 17 No exemption shall be granted authorizing travel on municipal 18 roads as a thoroughfare between State designated highways. 19 (e) When any vehicle is operated in violation of this 20 Section, the owner or driver of the vehicle shall be deemed 21 guilty of a violation and either the owner or the driver of 22 the vehicle may be prosecuted for the violation. Any person, 23 firm, or corporation convicted of violating this Section 24 shall be fined $50 for any weight exceeding the posted limit 25 up to the axle or gross weight limit allowed a vehicle as 26 provided for in subsections (a) or (b) of Section 15-111 and 27 $75 per every 500 pounds or fraction thereof for any weight 28 exceeding that which is provided for in subsections (a) or 29 (b) of Section 15-111. 30 (f) A municipality is authorized to enforce a county 31 weight limit ordinance applying to county highways within its 32 corporate limits and is entitled to the proceeds of any fines 33 collected from the enforcement of the ordinance. 34 (Source: P.A. 89-117, eff. 7-7-95; 89-687, eff. 6-1-97; -15- LRB9207396ARsb 1 90-211, eff. 1-1-98.)