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90_SB0454
625 ILCS 5/15-111 from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 15-111
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to make a technical
change to a provision concerning wheel and axle loads and
gross weights.
LRB9002853NTsb
LRB9002853NTsb
1 AN ACT to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code by changing
2 Section 15-111.
3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
4 represented in the General Assembly:
5 Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by
6 changing Section 15-111 as follows:
7 (625 ILCS 5/15-111) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 15-111)
8 Sec. 15-111. Wheel and axle loads and gross weights.
9 (a) No vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with
10 pneumatic tires shall be operated, unladen or with load, upon
11 the highways of this State when the gross weight on the road
12 surface through any single axle thereof exceeds 18,000
13 pounds, except when a different limit is established and
14 posted in accordance with Section 15-316 and except any
15 single axle of a 2 axle motor vehicle weighing 36,000 pounds
16 or less and not a part of a combination of vehicles, shall
17 not exceed 20,000 pounds. Provided, However, that any single
18 axle of a 2 axle motor vehicle equipped with a personnel lift
19 or digger derrick, weighing 36,000 pounds or less, owned and
20 operated by a public utility, shall not exceed 20,000 pounds.
21 No vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with other
22 than pneumatic tires shall be operated, unladen or with load,
23 upon the highways of this State when the gross weight on the
24 road surface through any wheel thereof exceeds 800 pounds per
25 inch width of tire tread or when the gross weight on the road
26 surface through any axle thereof exceeds 16,000 pounds. An
27 axle load shall be defined as the total load transmitted to
28 the road by all wheels whose centers may be included between
29 2 parallel transverse vertical planes 40 inches apart
30 extending across the full width of the vehicle.
31 Any 2 or more single axles whose centers are more than 40
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1 inches and not more than 96 inches apart, measured to the
2 nearest inch between extreme axles in the series, shall be
3 defined as tandem axles, and the gross weight transmitted to
4 the road surface through the series shall not exceed 32,000
5 pounds and no axle of the series shall exceed the maximum
6 weight permitted under this Section for a single axle.
7 Provided that on a 4 axle vehicle or on a 5 or more axle
8 combination of vehicles the weight on a series of 3 axles
9 whose centers are more than 96 inches apart, measured between
10 extreme axles in the series, shall not exceed those allowed
11 on 3 axles in the table contained in subsection (f) of this
12 Section and no axle or tandem axle of the series shall exceed
13 the maximum weight permitted under this Section for a single
14 or tandem axle. Provided also that a 3 axle vehicle or 3 axle
15 truck mixer registered as a Special Hauling Vehicle, used
16 exclusively for the mixing and transportation of concrete,
17 specially equipped with a road surface engaging mixer
18 trailing 4th axle, manufactured prior to or in the model
19 year of 2004 and first registered in Illinois prior to
20 January 1, 2005, with a distance greater than 72 inches but
21 not more than 96 inches between any series of 2 axles may
22 transmit to the road surface a maximum weight of 18,000
23 pounds on each of these axles with a gross weight on these 2
24 axles not to exceed 36,000 pounds. Any such vehicle
25 manufactured in the model year of 2004 or thereafter or first
26 registered in Illinois after December 31, 2004 may transmit
27 to the road surface a maximum of 32,000 pounds through these
28 2 axles and none of the axles shall exceed 18,000 pounds.
29 A truck, not in combination and specially equipped with a
30 selfcompactor, or an industrial roll-off hoist and roll-off
31 container, used exclusively for garbage or refuse operations,
32 and a truck used exclusively for the collection of rendering
33 materials may, however, when laden, transmit upon the road
34 surface of any highway except when part of the National
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1 System of Interstate and Defense Highways, a gross weight
2 upon a single axle not more than 22,000 pounds, and upon a
3 tandem axle not more than 40,000 pounds. When unladen,
4 however, those trucks shall comply with the axle limitations
5 applicable to all other trucks.
6 A 2 axle truck specially equipped with a front loading
7 compactor used exclusively for garbage, refuse, or recycling
8 may transmit 20,000 pounds per axle provided that the gross
9 weight of the vehicle does not exceed 40,000 pounds.
10 (b) The gross weight of vehicles and combination of
11 vehicles including the weight of the vehicle or combination
12 and its maximum load shall be subject to the foregoing
13 limitations and further shall not exceed the following gross
14 weights dependent upon the number of axles and distance
15 between extreme axles of the vehicle or combination measured
16 longitudinally to the nearest foot.
17 VEHICLES HAVING 2 AXLES ....................... 36,000 pounds
18 VEHICLES OR COMBINATIONS
19 HAVING 3 AXLES
20 With Tandem With or
21 Axles Without
22 Tandem Axles
23 Minimum Minimum
24 distance to Maximum distance to Maximum
25 nearest foot Gross nearest foot Gross
26 between Weight between Weight
27 extreme axles (pounds) extreme axles (pounds)
28 10 feet 41,000 16 feet 46,000
29 11 42,000 17 47,000
30 12 43,000 18 47,500
31 13 44,000 19 48,000
32 14 44,500 20 49,000
33 15 45,000 21 feet or more 50,000
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1 VEHICLES OR COMBINATIONS
2 HAVING 4 AXLES
3 Minimum Minimum
4 distance to Maximum distance to Maximum
5 nearest foot Gross nearest foot Gross
6 between Weight between Weight
7 extreme axles (pounds) extreme axles (pounds)
8 15 feet 50,000 26 feet 57,500
9 16 50,500 27 58,000
10 17 51,500 28 58,500
11 18 52,000 29 59,500
12 19 52,500 30 60,000
13 20 53,500 31 60,500
14 21 54,000 32 61,500
15 22 54,500 33 62,000
16 23 55,500 34 62,500
17 24 56,000 35 63,500
18 25 56,500 36 feet or more 64,000
19 In applying the above table to a vehicle having more than
20 4 axles that is not in combination, only 4 axles shall be
21 considered in determining the maximum gross weights.
22 COMBINATIONS HAVING 5 OR MORE AXLES
23 Minimum distance to Maximum
24 nearest foot between Gross Weight
25 extreme axles (pounds)
26 42 feet or less 72,000
27 43 73,000
28 44 feet or more 73,280
29 VEHICLES OPERATING ON CRAWLER TYPE TRACKS ..... 40,000 pounds
30 TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SELFCOMPACTORS
31 OR ROLL-OFF HOISTS AND ROLL-OFF CONTAINERS FOR GARBAGE
32 OR REFUSE HAULS ONLY AND TRUCKS USED FOR
33 THE COLLECTION OF RENDERING MATERIALS
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1 On Highway Not Part of National System
2 of Interstate and Defense Highways
3 with 2 axles 36,000 pounds
4 with 3 axles 54,000 pounds
5 TWO AXLE TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH
6 A FRONT LOADING COMPACTOR USED EXCLUSIVELY
7 FOR THE COLLECTION OF GARBAGE, REFUSE, OR RECYCLING
8 with 2 axles 40,000 pounds
9 (c) Cities having a population of more than 50,000 may
10 permit by ordinance axle loads on 2 axle motor vehicles 33
11 1/2% above those provided for herein, but the increase shall
12 not become effective until the city has officially notified
13 the Department of the passage of the ordinance and shall not
14 apply to those vehicles when outside of the limits of the
15 city, nor shall the gross weight of any 2 axle motor vehicle
16 operating over any street of the city exceed 40,000 pounds.
17 (d) Weight limitations shall not apply to vehicles
18 (including loads) operated by a public utility when
19 transporting equipment required for emergency repair of
20 public utility facilities or properties or water wells.
21 A combination of vehicles, including a tow truck and a
22 disabled vehicle or disabled combination of vehicles, that
23 exceeds the weight restriction imposed by this Code, may be
24 operated on a public highway in this State provided that
25 neither the disabled vehicle nor any vehicle being towed nor
26 the tow truck itself shall exceed the weight limitations
27 permitted under this Chapter. During the towing operation,
28 neither the tow truck nor the vehicle combination shall
29 exceed the following axle weight limitations:
30 A. 24,000 pounds - Single rear axle;
31 B. 44,000 pounds - Tandem rear axle;
32 Gross weight limits shall not apply to the combination of
33 the tow truck and vehicles being towed. The tow truck
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1 license plate must cover the operating empty weight of the
2 tow truck only. The weight of each vehicle being towed shall
3 be covered by a valid license plate issued to the owner or
4 operator of the vehicle being towed and displayed on that
5 vehicle. If no valid plate issued to the owner or operator of
6 that vehicle is displayed on that vehicle, or the plate
7 displayed on that vehicle does not cover the weight of the
8 vehicle, the weight of the vehicle shall be covered by the
9 third tow truck plate issued to the owner or operator of the
10 tow truck and temporarily affixed to the vehicle being towed.
11 In addition, the following conditions must be met:
12 (1) the towing vehicle must be:
13 a. specifically designed as a tow truck having
14 a gross vehicle weight rating of at least 18,000
15 lbs. and equipped with air brakes provided that air
16 brakes shall be required only if the towing vehicle
17 is towing a vehicle, semitrailer, or tractor-trailer
18 combination that is equipped with airbrakes;
19 b. equipped with flashing, rotating or
20 oscillating amber lights, visible for at least 500
21 feet in all directions; and
22 c. capable of utilizing the lighting and
23 braking systems of the disabled vehicle or
24 combination of vehicles.
25 (2) The towing of the vehicles on the highways of
26 this State shall not exceed 15 miles from the initial
27 point of wreck or disablement. Any additional movement of
28 the vehicles shall only occur upon issuance of
29 authorization for that movement under the provisions of
30 Sections 15-301 through 15-319 of this Chapter.
31 The Department may by rule or regulation prescribe
32 additional requirements. However, nothing in this Code shall
33 prohibit a tow truck under instructions of a police officer
34 from legally clearing a disabled vehicle, that may be in
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1 violation of weight limitations of this Chapter, from the
2 roadway to the berm or shoulder of the highway.
3 For the purpose of this subsection, gross vehicle weight
4 rating, or GVWR, shall mean the value specified by the
5 manufacturer as the loaded weight of the tow truck.
6 (e) No vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with
7 pneumatic tires shall be operated, unladen or with load, upon
8 the highways of this State in violation of the provisions of
9 any permit issued under the provisions of Sections 15-301
10 through 15-319 of this Chapter.
11 (f) Notwithstanding any other provision in this Code,
12 except for those provisions of subsection (d) of this Section
13 relating to emergency operations of public utilities and tow
14 trucks while actually engaged in the towing of a disabled
15 vehicle, and those vehicles for which the Department issues
16 overweight permits under authority of Section 15-301 of this
17 Code, the weight limitations contained in this subsection
18 shall apply to the National System of Interstate and Defense
19 Highways and other highways in the system of State highways
20 that have been designated by the Department as Class I, II,
21 or III. No vehicle shall be operated on the highways with a
22 weight in excess of 20,000 pounds carried on any one axle or
23 with a tandem axle weight in excess of 34,000 pounds, or a
24 gross weight in excess of 80,000 pounds for vehicle
25 combinations of 5 axles or more, or a gross weight on a group
26 of 2 or more consecutive axles in excess of that weight
27 produced by the application of the following formula:
28 W = 500 times the sum of (LN divided by N-1) + 12N + 36
29 Where "W" equals overall gross weight on any group of 2 or
30 more consecutive axles to the nearest 500 pounds; "L" equals
31 the distance measured to the nearest foot between extremes of
32 any group of 2 or more consecutive axles; and "N" equals the
33 number of axles in the group under consideration, except that
34 2 consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of
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1 34,000 pounds each, provided the overall distance between the
2 first and last axles of the consecutive sets of tandem axles
3 is 36 feet or more. Provided also that a 3-axle vehicle
4 registered as a Special Hauling Vehicle manufactured prior to
5 or in the model year of 2004, and first registered in
6 Illinois prior to January 1, 2005, with a distance greater
7 than 72 inches but not more than 96 inches between the 2 rear
8 axles may transmit to the road surface a maximum weight of
9 18,000 pounds on each of the 2 rear axles with a gross weight
10 on these 2 axles not to exceed 36,000 pounds. Any vehicle
11 registered as a Special Hauling Vehicle manufactured prior to
12 or in the model year of 2004 or thereafter or first
13 registered in Illinois after December 31, 2004, may transmit
14 to the road surface a maximum of 34,000 pounds through the 2
15 rear axles and neither of the rear axles shall exceed 20,000
16 pounds. For purposes of this subsection, tandem axles shall
17 be defined as any 2 or more single axles whose centers are
18 more than 40 inches and not more than 96 inches apart,
19 measured to the nearest inch between extreme axles in the
20 series.
21 The above formula when expressed in tabular form results
22 in allowable loads as follows:
23 Distance measured
24 to the nearest
25 foot between the
26 extremes of any Maximum load in pounds
27 group of 2 or carried on any group of
28 more consecutive 2 or more consecutive axles
29 axles
30 feet 2 axles 3 axles 4 axles 5 axles 6 axles
31 4 34,000
32 5 34,000
33 6 34,000
34 7 34,000
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1 8 38,000* 42,000
2 9 39,000 42,500
3 10 40,000 43,500
4 11 44,000
5 12 45,000 50,000
6 13 45,500 50,500
7 14 46,500 51,500
8 15 47,000 52,000
9 16 48,000 52,500 58,000
10 17 48,500 53,500 58,500
11 18 49,500 54,000 59,000
12 19 50,000 54,500 60,000
13 20 51,000 55,500 60,500 66,000
14 21 51,500 56,000 61,000 66,500
15 22 52,500 56,500 61,500 67,000
16 23 53,000 57,500 62,500 68,000
17 24 54,000 58,000 63,000 68,500
18 25 54,500 58,500 63,500 69,000
19 26 55,500 59,500 64,000 69,500
20 27 56,000 60,000 65,000 70,000
21 28 57,000 60,500 65,500 71,000
22 29 57,500 61,500 66,000 71,500
23 30 58,500 62,000 66,500 72,000
24 31 59,000 62,500 67,500 72,500
25 32 60,000 63,500 68,000 73,000
26 33 64,000 68,500 74,000
27 34 64,500 69,000 74,500
28 35 65,500 70,000 75,000
29 36 66,000 70,500 75,500
30 37 66,500 71,000 76,000
31 38 67,500 72,000 77,000
32 39 68,000 72,500 77,500
33 40 68,500 73,000 78,000
34 41 69,500 73,500 78,500
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1 42 70,000 74,000 79,000
2 43 70,500 75,000 80,000
3 44 71,500 75,500
4 45 72,000 76,000
5 46 72,500 76,500
6 47 73,500 77,500
7 48 74,000 78,000
8 49 74,500 78,500
9 50 75,500 79,000
10 51 76,000 80,000
11 52 76,500
12 53 77,500
13 54 78,000
14 55 78,500
15 56 79,500
16 57 80,000
17 *If the distance between 2 axles is 96 inches or less, the 2
18 axles are tandem axles and the maximum load permitted is
19 34,000 pounds, notwithstanding the higher limit resulting
20 from the application of the formula.
21 In applying the above formula to a vehicle having more
22 than 4 axles that is not a combination, only 4 axles shall be
23 considered in determining the maximum gross weight, and for a
24 combination of vehicles having more than 6 axles, only 6
25 axles shall be considered in determining the maximum gross
26 weight.
27 Notwithstanding the above table, 2 consecutive sets of
28 tandem axles may carry a gross weight of 34,000 pounds each
29 if the overall distance between the first and last axles of
30 the consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more.
31 Local authorities and road district highway
32 commissioners, with respect to streets and highways under
33 their jurisdiction, without additional fees, may also by
34 ordinance or resolution allow the weight limitations of this
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1 subsection, provided the maximum gross weight on any one axle
2 shall not exceed 20,000 pounds and the maximum gross weight
3 on any tandem axle shall not exceed 34,000 pounds, on
4 designated highways when appropriate regulatory signs giving
5 notice are erected upon the street or highway or portion of
6 any street or highway affected by the ordinance or
7 resolution.
8 Combinations of vehicles, registered as Special Hauling
9 Vehicles that include a semitrailer manufactured prior to or
10 in the model year of 2004, and first registered in Illinois
11 prior to January 1, 2005, having 5 axles with a distance of
12 42 feet or less between extreme axles shall be limited to the
13 weights prescribed in subsections (a) and (b) of this Section
14 and not subject to the bridge formula on the National System
15 of Interstate and Defense Highways and other highways in the
16 system of State highways designated by the Department. For
17 all those combinations of vehicles, that include a
18 semitrailer manufactured after the effective date of this
19 amendatory Act of 1986, the overall distance between the
20 first and last axles of the 2 sets of tandems must be 18 feet
21 6 inches or more. All combinations of vehicles registered as
22 Special Hauling Vehicles that include a semitrailer
23 manufactured prior to or in the model year of 2004 or
24 thereafter or first registered in Illinois after December 31,
25 2004, or that has had its cargo container replaced in its
26 entirety after December 31, 2004, are limited to the gross
27 weight allowed by the above formula.
28 A truck not in combination, equipped with a self
29 compactor or an industrial roll-off hoist and roll-off
30 container, used exclusively for garbage or refuse operations,
31 shall be allowed the weights as prescribed in subsections (a)
32 and (b) of this Section and not subject to the bridge
33 formula, provided they are not operated on a highway that is
34 part of the Interstate and Defense Highway System.
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1 Vehicles operating under this subsection shall have
2 access for a distance of one highway mile to or from a Class
3 I highway on any street or highway, unless there is a sign
4 prohibiting the access, or 5 highway miles to or from either
5 a Class I, II, or III highway on a street or highway included
6 in the system of State highways and upon any street or
7 highway designated by local authorities or road district
8 commissioners to points of loading and unloading and to
9 facilities for food, fuel, repairs and rest.
10 Section 5-35 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act
11 relating to procedures for rulemaking shall not apply to the
12 designation of highways under this subsection.
13 (g) No person shall operate a vehicle or combination of
14 vehicles over a bridge or other elevated structure
15 constituting part of a highway with a gross weight that is
16 greater than the maximum weight permitted by the Department,
17 when the structure is sign posted as provided in this
18 Section.
19 (h) The Department upon request from any local authority
20 shall, or upon its own initiative may, conduct an
21 investigation of any bridge or other elevated structure
22 constituting a part of a highway, and if it finds that the
23 structure cannot with safety to itself withstand the weight
24 of vehicles otherwise permissible under this Code the
25 Department shall determine and declare the maximum weight of
26 vehicles that the structures can withstand, and shall cause
27 or permit suitable signs stating maximum weight to be erected
28 and maintained before each end of the structure. No person
29 shall operate a vehicle or combination of vehicles over any
30 structure with a gross weight that is greater than the posted
31 maximum weight.
32 (i) Upon the trial of any person charged with a
33 violation of subsections (g) or (h) of this Section, proof of
34 the determination of the maximum allowable weight by the
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1 Department and the existence of the signs, constitutes
2 conclusive evidence of the maximum weight that can be
3 maintained with safety to the bridge or structure.
4 (Source: P.A. 88-45; 88-385; 88-403; 88-476; 88-670, eff.
5 12-2-94; 89-117, eff. 7-7-95; 89-433, eff. 12-15-95.)