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Public Act 91-0780
HB4352 Enrolled LRB9110415DHmb
AN ACT to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code by changing
Section 15-102.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by
changing Section 15-102 as follows:
(625 ILCS 5/15-102) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 15-102)
Sec. 15-102. Width of Vehicles.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section or this
Code, the total outside width of any vehicle or load thereon
shall not exceed 8 feet.
(b) Except during those times when, due to insufficient
light or unfavorable atmospheric conditions, persons and
vehicles on the highway are not clearly discernible at a
distance of 1000 feet, the following vehicles may exceed the
8 feet limitation during the period from a half hour before
sunrise to a half hour after sunset:
(1) Loads of hay, straw or other similar farm
products provided that the load is not more than 12 feet
wide.
(2) Implements of husbandry being transported on
another vehicle and the transporting vehicle while
loaded.
The following requirements apply to the
transportation on another vehicle of an implement of
husbandry wider than 8 feet 6 inches on the National
System of Interstate and Defense Highways or other
highways in the system of State highways:
(A) The driver of a vehicle transporting an
implement of husbandry that exceeds 8 feet 6 inches
in width shall obey all traffic laws and shall check
the roadways prior to making a movement in order to
ensure that adequate clearance is available for the
movement. It is prima facie evidence that the
driver of a vehicle transporting an implement of
husbandry has failed to check the roadway prior to
making a movement if the vehicle is involved in a
collision with a bridge, overpass, fixed structure,
or properly placed traffic control device or if the
vehicle blocks traffic due to its inability to
proceed because of a bridge, overpass, fixed
structure, or properly placed traffic control
device.
(B) Flags shall be displayed so as to wave
freely at the extremities of overwidth objects and
at the extreme ends of all protrusions, projections,
and overhangs. All flags shall be clean, bright red
flags with no advertising, wording, emblem, or
insignia inscribed upon them and at least 18 inches
square.
(C) "OVERSIZE LOAD" signs are mandatory on the
front and rear of all vehicles with loads over 10
feet wide. These signs must have 12-inch high black
letters with a 2-inch stroke on a yellow sign that
is 7 feet wide by 18 inches high.
(D) One civilian escort vehicle is required
for a load that exceeds 14 feet 6 inches in width
and 2 civilian escort vehicles are required for a
load that exceeds 16 feet in width on the National
System of Interstate and Defense Highways or other
highways in the system of State highways.
(E) The requirements for a civilian escort
vehicle and driver are as follows:
(1) The civilian escort vehicle shall be
a passenger car or a second division vehicle
not exceeding a gross vehicle weight of 8,000
pounds that is designed to afford clear and
unobstructed vision to both front and rear.
(2) The escort vehicle driver must be
properly licensed to operate the vehicle.
(3) While in use, the escort vehicle must
be equipped with illuminated rotating,
oscillating, or flashing amber lights or
flashing amber strobe lights mounted on top
that are of sufficient intensity to be visible
at 500 feet in normal sunlight.
(4) "OVERSIZE LOAD" signs are mandatory
on all escort vehicles. The sign on an escort
vehicle shall have 8-inch high black letters on
a yellow sign that is 5 feet wide by 12 inches
high.
(5) When only one escort vehicle is
required and it is operating on a two-lane
highway, the escort vehicle shall travel
approximately 300 feet ahead of the load. The
rotating, oscillating, or flashing lights or
flashing amber strobe lights and an "OVERSIZE
LOAD" sign shall be displayed on the escort
vehicle and shall be visible from the front.
When only one escort vehicle is required and it
is operating on a multilane divided highway,
the escort vehicle shall travel approximately
300 feet behind the load and the sign and
lights shall be visible from the rear.
(6) When 2 escort vehicles are required,
one escort shall travel approximately 300 feet
ahead of the load and the second escort shall
travel approximately 300 feet behind the load.
The rotating, oscillating, or flashing lights
or flashing amber strobe lights and an
"OVERSIZE LOAD" sign shall be displayed on the
escort vehicles and shall be visible from the
front on the lead escort and from the rear on
the trailing escort.
(7) When traveling within the corporate
limits of a municipality, the escort vehicle
shall maintain a reasonable and proper distance
from the oversize load, consistent with
existing traffic conditions.
(8) A separate escort shall be provided
for each load hauled.
(9) The driver of an escort vehicle shall
obey all traffic laws.
(10) The escort vehicle must be in safe
operational condition.
(11) The driver of the escort vehicle
must be in radio contact with the driver of the
vehicle carrying the oversize load.
(F) A transport vehicle while under load of
more than 8 feet 6 inches in width must be equipped
with an illuminated rotating, oscillating, or
flashing amber light or lights or a flashing amber
strobe light or lights mounted on the top of the cab
or on the load that are of sufficient intensity to
be visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight. If the
load on the transport vehicle blocks the visibility
of the amber lighting from the rear of the vehicle,
the vehicle must also be equipped with an
illuminated rotating, oscillating, or flashing amber
light or lights or a flashing amber strobe light or
lights mounted on the rear of the load that are of
sufficient intensity to be visible at 500 feet in
normal sunlight.
(G) When a flashing amber light is required on
the transport vehicle under load and it is operating
on a two-lane highway, the transport vehicle shall
display to the rear at least one rotating,
oscillating, or flashing light or a flashing amber
strobe light and an "OVERSIZE LOAD" sign. When a
flashing amber light is required on the transport
vehicle under load and it is operating on a
multilane divided highway, the sign and light shall
be visible from the rear.
(H) Maximum speed shall be 45 miles per hour
on all such moves or 5 miles per hour above the
posted minimum speed limit, whichever is greater,
but the vehicle shall not at any time exceed the
posted maximum speed limit.
(3) Portable buildings designed and used for
agricultural and livestock raising operations that are
not more than 14 feet wide and with not more than a 1
foot overhang along the left side of the hauling vehicle.
However, the buildings shall not be transported more than
10 miles and not on any route that is part of the
National System of Interstate and Defense Highways.
All buildings when being transported shall display at
least 2 red cloth flags, not less than 12 inches square,
mounted as high as practicable on the left and right side of
the building.
A State Police escort shall be required if it is
necessary for this load to use part of the left lane when
crossing any 2 laned State highway bridge.
(c) Vehicles propelled by electric power obtained from
overhead trolley wires operated wholly within the corporate
limits of a municipality are also exempt from the width
limitation.
(d) Exemptions are also granted to vehicles designed for
the carrying of more than 10 persons under the following
conditions:
(1) (Blank);
(2) When operated within any public transportation
service with the approval of local authorities or an
appropriate public body authorized by law to provide
public transportation. Any vehicle so operated may be 8
feet 6 inches in width; or
(3) When a county engineer or superintendent of
highways, after giving due consideration to the mass
transportation needs of the area and to the width and
condition of the road, has determined that the operation
of buses wider than 8 feet will not pose an undue safety
hazard on a particular county or township road segment,
he or she may authorize buses not to exceed 8 feet 6
inches in width on any highway under that engineer's or
superintendent's jurisdiction.
(e) A vehicle and load traveling upon the National
System of Interstate and Defense Highways or any other
highway in the system of State highways that has been
designated as a Class I or Class II highway by the
Department, or any street or highway designated by local
authorities or road district commissioners, may have a total
outside width of 8 feet 6 inches, provided that certain
safety devices that the Department determines as necessary
for the safe and efficient operation of motor vehicles shall
not be included in the calculation of width.
Vehicles operating under this paragraph (e) shall have
access for a distance of one highway mile to or from a Class
I highway on any street or highway, unless there is a sign
prohibiting the access, or 5 highway miles to or from a Class
I or II highway on a street or highway included in the system
of State highways and upon any street or highway designated
by local authorities or road district commissioners, without
additional fees, to points of loading and unloading and to
facilities for food, fuel, repairs and rest. In addition, any
trailer or semitrailer not exceeding 28 feet 6 inches in
length, that was originally in combination with a truck
tractor, and all household goods carriers, when operating
under paragraph (e), shall have access to points of loading
and unloading.
Section 5-35 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act
relating to procedures for rulemaking shall not apply to the
designation of highways under this paragraph (e).
(f) Mirrors required by Section 12-502 of this Code and
other safety devices identified by the Department may project
up to 14 inches beyond each side of a bus and up to 6 inches
beyond each side of any other vehicle, and that projection
shall not be deemed a violation of the width restrictions of
this Section.
(g) Any person who is convicted of violating this
Section is subject to the penalty as provided in paragraph
(b) of Section 15-113.
(Source: P.A. 89-551, eff. 1-1-97; 89-658, eff. 1-1-97;
90-14, eff. 7-1-97.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.
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