State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HB4352eng

 
HB4352 Engrossed                               LRB9110415DHmb

 1        AN  ACT  to  amend  the Illinois Vehicle Code by changing
 2    Section 15-102.

 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 15-102 as follows:

 7        (625 ILCS 5/15-102) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 15-102)
 8        Sec. 15-102.  Width of Vehicles.
 9        (a)  Except as otherwise provided in this Section or this
10    Code, the total outside width of any vehicle or load  thereon
11    shall not exceed 8 feet.
12        (b)  Except  during those times when, due to insufficient
13    light or  unfavorable  atmospheric  conditions,  persons  and
14    vehicles  on  the  highway  are  not clearly discernible at a
15    distance of 1000 feet, the following vehicles may exceed  the
16    8  feet  limitation during the period from a half hour before
17    sunrise to a half hour after sunset:
18             (1)  Loads of  hay,  straw  or  other  similar  farm
19        products  provided that the load is not more than 12 feet
20        wide.
21             (2)  Implements of husbandry  being  transported  on
22        another   vehicle  and  the  transporting  vehicle  while
23        loaded.
24             The   following   requirements    apply    to    the
25        transportation  on  another  vehicle  of  an implement of
26        husbandry wider than 8 feet  6  inches  on  the  National
27        System  of  Interstate  and  Defense  Highways  or  other
28        highways in the system of State highways:
29                  (A)  The  driver  of  a vehicle transporting an
30             implement of husbandry that exceeds 8 feet 6  inches
31             in width shall obey all traffic laws and shall check
 
HB4352 Engrossed            -2-                LRB9110415DHmb
 1             the  roadways prior to making a movement in order to
 2             ensure that adequate clearance is available for  the
 3             movement.   It  is  prima  facie  evidence  that the
 4             driver of a vehicle  transporting  an  implement  of
 5             husbandry  has  failed to check the roadway prior to
 6             making a movement if the vehicle is  involved  in  a
 7             collision  with a bridge, overpass, fixed structure,
 8             or properly placed traffic control device or if  the
 9             vehicle  blocks  traffic  due  to  its  inability to
10             proceed  because  of  a  bridge,   overpass,   fixed
11             structure,   or   properly  placed  traffic  control
12             device.
13                  (B)  Flags shall be displayed  so  as  to  wave
14             freely  at  the extremities of overwidth objects and
15             at the extreme ends of all protrusions, projections,
16             and overhangs.  All flags shall be clean, bright red
17             flags  with  no  advertising,  wording,  emblem,  or
18             insignia inscribed upon them and at least 18  inches
19             square.
20                  (C)  "OVERSIZE LOAD" signs are mandatory on the
21             front  and  rear  of all vehicles with loads over 10
22             feet wide.  These signs must have 12-inch high black
23             letters with a 2-inch stroke on a yellow  sign  that
24             is 7 feet wide by 18 inches high.
25                  (D)  One  civilian  escort  vehicle is required
26             for a load that exceeds 14 feet 6  inches  in  width
27             and  2  civilian  escort vehicles are required for a
28             load that exceeds 16 feet in width on  the  National
29             System  of  Interstate and Defense Highways or other
30             highways in the system of State highways.
31                  (E)  The requirements  for  a  civilian  escort
32             vehicle and driver are as follows:
33                       (1)  The  civilian escort vehicle shall be
34                  a passenger car or a  second  division  vehicle
 
HB4352 Engrossed            -3-                LRB9110415DHmb
 1                  not  exceeding  a gross vehicle weight of 8,000
 2                  pounds that is designed  to  afford  clear  and
 3                  unobstructed vision to both front and rear.
 4                       (2)  The  escort  vehicle  driver  must be
 5                  properly licensed to operate the vehicle.
 6                       (3)  While in use, the escort vehicle must
 7                  be   equipped   with   illuminated    rotating,
 8                  oscillating,   or   flashing  amber  lights  or
 9                  flashing amber strobe  lights  mounted  on  top
10                  that  are of sufficient intensity to be visible
11                  at 500 feet in normal sunlight.
12                       (4)  "OVERSIZE LOAD" signs  are  mandatory
13                  on  all escort vehicles.  The sign on an escort
14                  vehicle shall have 8-inch high black letters on
15                  a yellow sign that is 5 feet wide by 12  inches
16                  high.
17                       (5)  When   only  one  escort  vehicle  is
18                  required and it  is  operating  on  a  two-lane
19                  highway,   the   escort  vehicle  shall  travel
20                  approximately 300 feet ahead of the load.   The
21                  rotating,  oscillating,  or  flashing lights or
22                  flashing amber strobe lights and  an  "OVERSIZE
23                  LOAD"  sign  shall  be  displayed on the escort
24                  vehicle and shall be visible  from  the  front.
25                  When only one escort vehicle is required and it
26                  is  operating  on  a multilane divided highway,
27                  the escort vehicle shall  travel  approximately
28                  300  feet  behind  the  load  and  the sign and
29                  lights shall be visible from the rear.
30                       (6)  When 2 escort vehicles are  required,
31                  one  escort shall travel approximately 300 feet
32                  ahead of the load and the second  escort  shall
33                  travel  approximately 300 feet behind the load.
34                  The rotating, oscillating, or  flashing  lights
 
HB4352 Engrossed            -4-                LRB9110415DHmb
 1                  or   flashing   amber   strobe  lights  and  an
 2                  "OVERSIZE LOAD" sign shall be displayed on  the
 3                  escort  vehicles  and shall be visible from the
 4                  front on the lead escort and from the  rear  on
 5                  the trailing escort.
 6                       (7)  When  traveling  within the corporate
 7                  limits of a municipality,  the  escort  vehicle
 8                  shall maintain a reasonable and proper distance
 9                  from   the   oversize   load,  consistent  with
10                  existing traffic conditions.
11                       (8)  A separate escort shall  be  provided
12                  for each load hauled.
13                       (9)  The driver of an escort vehicle shall
14                  obey all traffic laws.
15                       (10)  The  escort  vehicle must be in safe
16                  operational condition.
17                       (11)  The driver  of  the  escort  vehicle
18                  must be in radio contact with the driver of the
19                  vehicle carrying the oversize load.
20                  (F)  A  transport  vehicle  while under load of
21             more than 8 feet 6 inches in width must be  equipped
22             with   an   illuminated  rotating,  oscillating,  or
23             flashing amber light or lights or a  flashing  amber
24             strobe light or lights mounted on the top of the cab
25             or  on  the load that are of sufficient intensity to
26             be visible at 500 feet in normal  sunlight.  If  the
27             load  on the transport vehicle blocks the visibility
28             of the amber lighting from the rear of the  vehicle,
29             the   vehicle   must   also   be  equipped  with  an
30             illuminated rotating, oscillating, or flashing amber
31             light or lights or a flashing amber strobe light  or
32             lights  mounted  on the rear of the load that are of
33             sufficient intensity to be visible at  500  feet  in
34             normal sunlight.
 
HB4352 Engrossed            -5-                LRB9110415DHmb
 1                  (G)  When a flashing amber light is required on
 2             the transport vehicle under load and it is operating
 3             on  a  two-lane highway, the transport vehicle shall
 4             display  to  the  rear  at   least   one   rotating,
 5             oscillating,  or  flashing light or a flashing amber
 6             strobe light and an "OVERSIZE LOAD"  sign.   When  a
 7             flashing  amber  light  is required on the transport
 8             vehicle  under  load  and  it  is  operating  on   a
 9             multilane  divided highway, the sign and light shall
10             be visible from the rear.
11                  (H)  Maximum speed shall be 45 miles  per  hour
12             on  all  such  moves  or  5 miles per hour above the
13             posted minimum speed limit,  whichever  is  greater,
14             but  the  vehicle  shall  not at any time exceed the
15             posted maximum speed limit.
16             (3)  Portable  buildings  designed  and   used   for
17        agricultural  and  livestock  raising operations that are
18        not more than 14 feet wide and with not  more  than  a  1
19        foot overhang along the left side of the hauling vehicle.
20        However, the buildings shall not be transported more than
21        10  miles  and  not  on  any  route  that  is part of the
22        National System of Interstate and Defense Highways.
23        All buildings when being  transported  shall  display  at
24    least  2  red  cloth  flags,  not less than 12 inches square,
25    mounted as high as practicable on the left and right side  of
26    the building.
27        A  State  Police  escort  shall  be  required  if  it  is
28    necessary  for  this  load  to use part of the left lane when
29    crossing any 2 laned State highway bridge.
30        (c)  Vehicles propelled by electric power  obtained  from
31    overhead  trolley  wires operated wholly within the corporate
32    limits of a municipality  are  also  exempt  from  the  width
33    limitation.
34        (d)  Exemptions are also granted to vehicles designed for
 
HB4352 Engrossed            -6-                LRB9110415DHmb
 1    the  carrying  of  more  than  10 persons under the following
 2    conditions:
 3             (1)  (Blank);
 4             (2)  When operated within any public  transportation
 5        service  with  the  approval  of  local authorities or an
 6        appropriate public body  authorized  by  law  to  provide
 7        public  transportation.  Any vehicle so operated may be 8
 8        feet 6 inches in width; or
 9             (3)  When a county  engineer  or  superintendent  of
10        highways,  after  giving  due  consideration  to the mass
11        transportation needs of the area and  to  the  width  and
12        condition  of the road, has determined that the operation
13        of buses wider than 8 feet will not pose an undue  safety
14        hazard  on  a particular county or township road segment,
15        he or she may authorize buses not  to  exceed  8  feet  6
16        inches  in width on any highway under that engineer's  or
17        superintendent's jurisdiction.
18        (e)  A vehicle  and  load  traveling  upon  the  National
19    System  of  Interstate  and  Defense  Highways  or  any other
20    highway in  the  system  of  State  highways  that  has  been
21    designated   as  a  Class  I  or  Class  II  highway  by  the
22    Department, or any street  or  highway  designated  by  local
23    authorities  or road district commissioners, may have a total
24    outside width of 8  feet  6  inches,  provided  that  certain
25    safety  devices  that  the Department determines as necessary
26    for the safe and efficient operation of motor vehicles  shall
27    not be included in the calculation of width.
28        Vehicles  operating  under  this paragraph (e) shall have
29    access for a distance of one highway mile to or from a  Class
30    I  highway  on  any street or highway, unless there is a sign
31    prohibiting the access, or 5 highway miles to or from a Class
32    I or II highway on a street or highway included in the system
33    of State highways and upon any street or  highway  designated
34    by  local authorities or road district commissioners, without
 
HB4352 Engrossed            -7-                LRB9110415DHmb
 1    additional fees, to points of loading and  unloading  and  to
 2    facilities for food, fuel, repairs and rest. In addition, any
 3    trailer  or  semitrailer  not  exceeding  28 feet 6 inches in
 4    length, that was  originally  in  combination  with  a  truck
 5    tractor,  and  all  household  goods carriers, when operating
 6    under paragraph (e), shall have access to points  of  loading
 7    and unloading.
 8        Section 5-35 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act
 9    relating  to procedures for rulemaking shall not apply to the
10    designation of highways under this paragraph (e).
11        (f)  Mirrors required by Section 12-502 of this Code  and
12    other safety devices identified by the Department may project
13    up  to 14 inches beyond each side of a bus and up to 6 inches
14    beyond each side of any other vehicle,  and  that  projection
15    shall  not be deemed a violation of the width restrictions of
16    this Section.
17        (g)  Any  person  who  is  convicted  of  violating  this
18    Section is subject to the penalty as  provided  in  paragraph
19    (b) of Section 15-113.
20    (Source: P.A.  89-551,  eff.  1-1-97;  89-658,  eff.  1-1-97;
21    90-14, eff. 7-1-97.)

22        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
23    becoming law.

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