SB1450 Enrolled LRB096 07413 AJT 17499 b

1     AN ACT concerning transportation.
 
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 changing
5 Section 15-102 as follows:
 
6     (625 ILCS 5/15-102)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 15-102)
7     Sec. 15-102. Width of Vehicles.
8     (a) On Class III and non-designated State and local
9 highways, the total outside width of any vehicle or load
10 thereon shall not exceed 8 feet 6 inches.
11     (b) Except during those times when, due to insufficient
12 light or unfavorable atmospheric conditions, persons and
13 vehicles on the highway are not clearly discernible at a
14 distance of 1000 feet, the following vehicles may exceed the 8
15 feet 6 inch limitation during the period from a half hour
16 before sunrise to a half hour after sunset:
17         (1) Loads of hay, straw or other similar farm products
18     provided that the load is not more than 12 feet wide.
19         (2) Implements of husbandry being transported on
20     another vehicle and the transporting vehicle while loaded.
21         The following requirements apply to the transportation
22     on another vehicle of an implement of husbandry wider than
23     8 feet 6 inches on the National System of Interstate and

 

 

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1     Defense Highways or other highways in the system of State
2     highways:
3             (A) The driver of a vehicle transporting an
4         implement of husbandry that exceeds 8 feet 6 inches in
5         width shall obey all traffic laws and shall check the
6         roadways prior to making a movement in order to ensure
7         that adequate clearance is available for the movement.
8         It is prima facie evidence that the driver of a vehicle
9         transporting an implement of husbandry has failed to
10         check the roadway prior to making a movement if the
11         vehicle is involved in a collision with a bridge,
12         overpass, fixed structure, or properly placed traffic
13         control device or if the vehicle blocks traffic due to
14         its inability to proceed because of a bridge, overpass,
15         fixed structure, or properly placed traffic control
16         device.
17             (B) Flags shall be displayed so as to wave freely
18         at the extremities of overwidth objects and at the
19         extreme ends of all protrusions, projections, and
20         overhangs. All flags shall be clean, bright red flags
21         with no advertising, wording, emblem, or insignia
22         inscribed upon them and at least 18 inches square.
23             (C) "OVERSIZE LOAD" signs are mandatory on the
24         front and rear of all vehicles with loads over 10 feet
25         wide. These signs must have 12-inch high black letters
26         with a 2-inch stroke on a yellow sign that is 7 feet

 

 

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1         wide by 18 inches high.
2             (D) One civilian escort vehicle is required for a
3         load that exceeds 14 feet 6 inches in width and 2
4         civilian escort vehicles are required for a load that
5         exceeds 16 feet in width on the National System of
6         Interstate and Defense Highways or other highways in
7         the system of State highways.
8             (E) The requirements for a civilian escort vehicle
9         and driver are as follows:
10                 (1) The civilian escort vehicle shall be a
11             passenger car or a second division vehicle not
12             exceeding a gross vehicle weight of 8,000 pounds
13             that is designed to afford clear and unobstructed
14             vision to both front and rear.
15                 (2) The escort vehicle driver must be properly
16             licensed to operate the vehicle.
17                 (3) While in use, the escort vehicle must be
18             equipped with illuminated rotating, oscillating,
19             or flashing amber lights or flashing amber strobe
20             lights mounted on top that are of sufficient
21             intensity to be visible at 500 feet in normal
22             sunlight.
23                 (4) "OVERSIZE LOAD" signs are mandatory on all
24             escort vehicles. The sign on an escort vehicle
25             shall have 8-inch high black letters on a yellow
26             sign that is 5 feet wide by 12 inches high.

 

 

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1                 (5) When only one escort vehicle is required
2             and it is operating on a two-lane highway, the
3             escort vehicle shall travel approximately 300 feet
4             ahead of the load. The rotating, oscillating, or
5             flashing lights or flashing amber strobe lights
6             and an "OVERSIZE LOAD" sign shall be displayed on
7             the escort vehicle and shall be visible from the
8             front. When only one escort vehicle is required and
9             it is operating on a multilane divided highway, the
10             escort vehicle shall travel approximately 300 feet
11             behind the load and the sign and lights shall be
12             visible from the rear.
13                 (6) When 2 escort vehicles are required, one
14             escort shall travel approximately 300 feet ahead
15             of the load and the second escort shall travel
16             approximately 300 feet behind the load. The
17             rotating, oscillating, or flashing lights or
18             flashing amber strobe lights and an "OVERSIZE
19             LOAD" sign shall be displayed on the escort
20             vehicles and shall be visible from the front on the
21             lead escort and from the rear on the trailing
22             escort.
23                 (7) When traveling within the corporate limits
24             of a municipality, the escort vehicle shall
25             maintain a reasonable and proper distance from the
26             oversize load, consistent with existing traffic

 

 

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1             conditions.
2                 (8) A separate escort shall be provided for
3             each load hauled.
4                 (9) The driver of an escort vehicle shall obey
5             all traffic laws.
6                 (10) The escort vehicle must be in safe
7             operational condition.
8                 (11) The driver of the escort vehicle must be
9             in radio contact with the driver of the vehicle
10             carrying the oversize load.
11             (F) A transport vehicle while under load of more
12         than 8 feet 6 inches in width must be equipped with an
13         illuminated rotating, oscillating, or flashing amber
14         light or lights or a flashing amber strobe light or
15         lights mounted on the top of the cab that are of
16         sufficient intensity to be visible at 500 feet in
17         normal sunlight. If the load on the transport vehicle
18         blocks the visibility of the amber lighting from the
19         rear of the vehicle, the vehicle must also be equipped
20         with an illuminated rotating, oscillating, or flashing
21         amber light or lights or a flashing amber strobe light
22         or lights mounted on the rear of the load that are of
23         sufficient intensity to be visible at 500 feet in
24         normal sunlight.
25             (G) When a flashing amber light is required on the
26         transport vehicle under load and it is operating on a

 

 

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1         two-lane highway, the transport vehicle shall display
2         to the rear at least one rotating, oscillating, or
3         flashing light or a flashing amber strobe light and an
4         "OVERSIZE LOAD" sign. When a flashing amber light is
5         required on the transport vehicle under load and it is
6         operating on a multilane divided highway, the sign and
7         light shall be visible from the rear.
8             (H) Maximum speed shall be 45 miles per hour on all
9         such moves or 5 miles per hour above the posted minimum
10         speed limit, whichever is greater, but the vehicle
11         shall not at any time exceed the posted maximum speed
12         limit.
13         (3) Portable buildings designed and used for
14     agricultural and livestock raising operations that are not
15     more than 14 feet wide and with not more than a 1 foot
16     overhang along the left side of the hauling vehicle.
17     However, the buildings shall not be transported more than
18     10 miles and not on any route that is part of the National
19     System of Interstate and Defense Highways.
20     All buildings when being transported shall display at least
21 2 red cloth flags, not less than 12 inches square, mounted as
22 high as practicable on the left and right side of the building.
23     A State Police escort shall be required if it is necessary
24 for this load to use part of the left lane when crossing any 2
25 laned State highway bridge.
26     (c) Vehicles propelled by electric power obtained from

 

 

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1 overhead trolley wires operated wholly within the corporate
2 limits of a municipality are also exempt from the width
3 limitation.
4     (d) Exemptions are also granted to vehicles designed for
5 the carrying of more than 10 persons under the following
6 conditions:
7         (1) (Blank);
8         (2) (Blank); When operated within any public
9     transportation service with the approval of local
10     authorities or an appropriate public body authorized by law
11     to provide public transportation. Any vehicle so operated
12     may be 8 feet 6 inches in width; or
13         (3) (Blank). When a county engineer or superintendent
14     of highways, after giving due consideration to the mass
15     transportation needs of the area and to the width and
16     condition of the road, has determined that the operation of
17     buses wider than 8 feet will not pose an undue safety
18     hazard on a particular county or township road segment, he
19     or she may authorize buses not to exceed 8 feet 6 inches in
20     width on any highway under that engineer's or
21     superintendent's jurisdiction.
22     (d-1) A recreational vehicle, as defined in Section 1-169,
23 may exceed 8 feet 6 inches in width if:
24         (1) the excess width is attributable to appurtenances
25     that extend 6 inches or less beyond either side of the body
26     of the vehicle; and

 

 

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1         (2) the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling has
2     marked lanes for vehicular traffic that are at least 11
3     feet in width.
4     As used in this subsection (d-1) and in subsection (d-2),
5 the term appurtenance includes (i) a retracted awning and its
6 support hardware and (ii) any appendage that is intended to be
7 an integral part of a recreation vehicle.
8     (d-2) A recreational vehicle that exceeds 8 feet 6 inches
9 in width as provided in subsection (d-1) may travel any roadway
10 of the State if the vehicle is being operated between a roadway
11 permitted under subsection (d-1) and:
12         (1) the location where the recreation vehicle is
13     garaged;
14         (2) the destination of the recreation vehicle; or
15         (3) a facility for food, fuel, repair, services, or
16     rest.
17     (e) A vehicle and load traveling upon the National System
18 of Interstate and Defense Highways or any other highway in the
19 system of State highways that has been designated as a Class I
20 or Class II highway by the Department, or any street or highway
21 designated by local authorities, may have a total outside width
22 of 8 feet 6 inches, provided that certain safety devices that
23 the Department determines as necessary for the safe and
24 efficient operation of motor vehicles shall not be included in
25 the calculation of width.
26     (e-1) A vehicle and load more than 8 feet wide but not

 

 

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1 exceeding 8 feet 6 inches in width is allowed access according
2 to the following:
3         (1) A vehicle and load not exceeding 73,280 pounds in
4     weight is allowed access from any State designated highway
5     onto any county, township, or municipal highway for a
6     distance of 5 highway miles for the purpose of loading and
7     unloading, provided:
8             (A) The vehicle and load does not exceed 65 feet
9         overall length.
10             (B) There is no sign prohibiting that access.
11             (C) The route is not being used as a thoroughfare
12         between State designated highways.
13         (2) A vehicle and load not exceeding 73,280 pounds in
14     weight is allowed access from any State designated highway
15     onto any county or township highway for a distance of 5
16     highway miles or onto any municipal highway for a distance
17     of one highway mile for the purpose of food, fuel, repairs,
18     and rest, provided:
19             (A) The vehicle and load does not exceed 65 feet
20         overall length.
21             (B) There is no sign prohibiting that access.
22             (C) The route is not being used as a thoroughfare
23         between State designated highways.
24         (3) A vehicle and load not exceeding 80,000 pounds in
25     weight is allowed access from a Class I highway onto any
26     street or highway for a distance of one highway mile for

 

 

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1     the purpose of loading, unloading, food, fuel, repairs, and
2     rest, provided there is no sign prohibiting that access.
3         (4) A vehicle and load not exceeding 80,000 pounds in
4     weight is allowed access from a Class I or Class II highway
5     onto any State highway or any locally designated highway
6     for a distance of 5 highway miles for the purpose of
7     loading, unloading, food, fuel, repairs, and rest.
8         (5) A trailer or semi-trailer not exceeding 28 feet 6
9     inches in length, that was originally in combination with a
10     truck tractor, shall have unlimited access to points of
11     loading and unloading.
12         (6) All household goods carriers shall have unlimited
13     access to points of loading and unloading.
14     Section 5-35 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act
15 relating to procedures for rulemaking shall not apply to the
16 designation of highways under this paragraph (e).
17     (f) Mirrors required by Section 12-502 of this Code and
18 other safety devices identified by the Department may project
19 up to 14 inches beyond each side of a bus and up to 6 inches
20 beyond each side of any other vehicle, and that projection
21 shall not be deemed a violation of the width restrictions of
22 this Section.
23     (g) Any person who is convicted of violating this Section
24 is subject to the penalty as provided in paragraph (b) of
25 Section 15-113.
26 (Source: P.A. 93-177, eff. 7-11-03; 94-949, eff. 1-1-07.)