State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

   [ Search ]   [ Legislation ]   [ Bill Summary ]
[ Home ]   [ Back ]   [ Bottom ]



90_HB3403

      625 ILCS 5/15-111         from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 15-111
          Amends the Vehicle Code.   Increases  the  maximum  gross
      weight  a  truck  used  for  garbage,  refuse,  or  rendering
      operations,  not in combination and specially equipped with a
      selfcompactor, an industrial roll-off hoist,  or  a  roll-off
      container,  may  transmit upon a highway, except when part of
      the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways,  upon
      a  single axle from 22,000 to 24,000 pounds and upon a tandem
      axle from 40,000 to 42,000 pounds.
                                                     LRB9009745LDdv
                                               LRB9009745LDdv
 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.  The
27    gross weight transmitted to the road surface  through  tandem
28    axles  shall  not  exceed  32,000  pounds  and no axle of the
29    series shall exceed the maximum weight permitted  under  this
30    Section  for a single axle. Provided that on a 4 axle vehicle
31    or on a 5 or more axle combination of vehicles the weight  on
                            -2-                LRB9009745LDdv
 1    a  series  of  3  axles whose centers are more than 96 inches
 2    apart, measured between extreme axles in  the  series,  shall
 3    not exceed those allowed on 3 axles in the table contained in
 4    subsection  (f) of this Section and no axle or tandem axle of
 5    the series shall exceed the maximum  weight  permitted  under
 6    this  Section for a single or tandem axle. Provided also that
 7    a 3 axle vehicle or  3  axle  truck  mixer  registered  as  a
 8    Special  Hauling Vehicle, used exclusively for the mixing and
 9    transportation of concrete, specially equipped  with  a  road
10    surface  engaging  mixer   trailing   4th  axle, manufactured
11    prior to or in the model year of 2004 and first registered in
12    Illinois prior to January 1, 2005, with  a  distance  greater
13    than 72 inches but not more than 96 inches between any series
14    of  2 axles may transmit to the road surface a maximum weight
15    of 18,000 pounds on each of these axles with a  gross  weight
16    on  these  2  axles  not  to  exceed 36,000 pounds.  Any such
17    vehicle manufactured in the model year of 2004 or  thereafter
18    or  first  registered in Illinois after December 31, 2004 may
19    transmit to the road  surface  a  maximum  of  32,000  pounds
20    through  these  2  axles  and  none of the axles shall exceed
21    18,000 pounds.
22        A truck, not in combination and specially equipped with a
23    selfcompactor, or an industrial roll-off hoist  and  roll-off
24    container, used exclusively for garbage or refuse operations,
25    and  a truck used exclusively for the collection of rendering
26    materials may, however, when laden, transmit  upon  the  road
27    surface  of  any  highway  except  when  part of the National
28    System of Interstate and Defense  Highways,  a  gross  weight
29    upon  a  single  axle not more than 24,000 22,000 pounds, and
30    upon a tandem axle not more than 42,000 40,000 pounds.   When
31    unladen,  however,  those  trucks  shall comply with the axle
32    limitations applicable to all other trucks.
33        A 2 axle truck specially equipped with  a  front  loading
34    compactor  used exclusively for garbage, refuse, or recycling
                            -3-                LRB9009745LDdv
 1    may transmit 20,000 pounds per axle provided that  the  gross
 2    weight of the vehicle does not exceed 40,000 pounds.
 3        (b)  The  gross  weight  of  vehicles  and combination of
 4    vehicles including the weight of the vehicle  or  combination
 5    and  its  maximum  load  shall  be  subject  to the foregoing
 6    limitations and further shall not exceed the following  gross
 7    weights  dependent  upon  the  number  of  axles and distance
 8    between extreme axles of the vehicle or combination  measured
 9    longitudinally to the nearest foot.
10    VEHICLES HAVING 2 AXLES ....................... 36,000 pounds
11                      VEHICLES OR COMBINATIONS
12                           HAVING 3 AXLES
13    With Tandem                     With or
14       Axles                        Without
15                                    Tandem Axles
16    Minimum                         Minimum
17    distance to        Maximum      distance to         Maximum
18    nearest foot       Gross        nearest foot        Gross
19    between            Weight       between             Weight
20    extreme axles      (pounds)     extreme axles       (pounds)
21    10 feet            41,000       16 feet             46,000
22    11                 42,000       17                  47,000
23    12                 43,000       18                  47,500
24    13                 44,000       19                  48,000
25    14                 44,500       20                  49,000
26    15                 45,000       21 feet or more     50,000
27                      VEHICLES OR COMBINATIONS
28                           HAVING 4 AXLES
29    Minimum                         Minimum
30    distance to        Maximum      distance to         Maximum
31    nearest foot       Gross        nearest foot        Gross
32    between            Weight       between             Weight
33    extreme axles      (pounds)     extreme axles       (pounds)
                            -4-                LRB9009745LDdv
 1    15 feet            50,000       26 feet             57,500
 2    16                 50,500       27                  58,000
 3    17                 51,500       28                  58,500
 4    18                 52,000       29                  59,500
 5    19                 52,500       30                  60,000
 6    20                 53,500       31                  60,500
 7    21                 54,000       32                  61,500
 8    22                 54,500       33                  62,000
 9    23                 55,500       34                  62,500
10    24                 56,000       35                  63,500
11    25                 56,500       36 feet or more     64,000
12        In applying the above table to a vehicle having more than
13    4  axles  that  is  not in combination, only 4 axles shall be
14    considered in determining the maximum gross weights.
15                 COMBINATIONS HAVING 5 OR MORE AXLES
16    Minimum distance to           Maximum
17    nearest foot between          Gross Weight
18    extreme axles                 (pounds)
19    42 feet or less               72,000
20    43                            73,000
21    44 feet or more               73,280
22    VEHICLES OPERATING ON CRAWLER TYPE TRACKS ..... 40,000 pounds
23                 TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SELFCOMPACTORS
24       OR ROLL-OFF HOISTS AND ROLL-OFF CONTAINERS FOR GARBAGE
25              OR REFUSE HAULS ONLY AND TRUCKS USED FOR
26                THE COLLECTION OF RENDERING MATERIALS
27               On Highway Not Part of National System
28                 of Interstate and Defense Highways
29    with 2 axles                                    36,000 pounds
30    with 3 axles                                    54,000 pounds
31                    TWO AXLE TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH
32             A FRONT LOADING COMPACTOR USED EXCLUSIVELY
33         FOR THE COLLECTION OF GARBAGE, REFUSE, OR RECYCLING
                            -5-                LRB9009745LDdv
 1    with 2 axles                                    40,000 pounds
 2        (c)  Cities having a population of more than  50,000  may
 3    permit  by  ordinance  axle loads on 2 axle motor vehicles 33
 4    1/2% above those provided for herein, but the increase  shall
 5    not  become  effective until the city has officially notified
 6    the Department of the passage of the ordinance and shall  not
 7    apply  to  those  vehicles  when outside of the limits of the
 8    city, nor shall the gross weight of any 2 axle motor  vehicle
 9    operating over any street of the city exceed 40,000 pounds.
10        (d)  Weight  limitations  shall  not  apply  to  vehicles
11    (including   loads)   operated   by  a  public  utility  when
12    transporting  equipment  required  for  emergency  repair  of
13    public utility facilities or properties or water wells.
14        A combination of vehicles, including a tow  truck  and  a
15    disabled  vehicle  or  disabled combination of vehicles, that
16    exceeds the weight restriction imposed by this Code,  may  be
17    operated  on  a  public  highway  in this State provided that
18    neither the disabled vehicle nor any vehicle being towed  nor
19    the  tow  truck  itself  shall  exceed the weight limitations
20    permitted under this Chapter. During  the  towing  operation,
21    neither  the  tow  truck  nor  the  vehicle combination shall
22    exceed the following axle weight limitations:
23             A.  24,000 pounds - Single rear axle;
24             B.  44,000 pounds - Tandem rear axle;
25        Gross weight limits shall not apply to the combination of
26    the tow truck  and  vehicles  being  towed.   The  tow  truck
27    license  plate  must  cover the operating empty weight of the
28    tow truck only. The weight of each vehicle being towed  shall
29    be  covered  by  a valid license plate issued to the owner or
30    operator of the vehicle being towed  and  displayed  on  that
31    vehicle. If no valid plate issued to the owner or operator of
32    that  vehicle  is  displayed  on  that  vehicle, or the plate
33    displayed on that vehicle does not cover the  weight  of  the
34    vehicle,  the  weight  of the vehicle shall be covered by the
                            -6-                LRB9009745LDdv
 1    third tow truck plate issued to the owner or operator of  the
 2    tow truck and temporarily affixed to the vehicle being towed.
 3    In addition, the following conditions must be met:
 4             (1)  the towing vehicle must be:
 5                  a.  specifically designed as a tow truck having
 6             a  gross  vehicle  weight  rating of at least 18,000
 7             lbs. and equipped with air brakes provided that  air
 8             brakes  shall be required only if the towing vehicle
 9             is towing a vehicle, semitrailer, or tractor-trailer
10             combination that is equipped with airbrakes;
11                  b.  equipped   with   flashing,   rotating   or
12             oscillating amber lights, visible for at  least  500
13             feet in all directions; and
14                  c.  capable   of  utilizing  the  lighting  and
15             braking  systems  of   the   disabled   vehicle   or
16             combination of vehicles.
17             (2)  The  towing  of the vehicles on the highways of
18        this State shall not exceed 20  miles  from  the  initial
19        point of wreck or disablement. Any additional movement of
20        the   vehicles   shall   only   occur  upon  issuance  of
21        authorization for that movement under the  provisions  of
22        Sections 15-301 through 15-319 of this Chapter.
23        The  Department  may  by  rule  or  regulation  prescribe
24    additional  requirements. However, nothing in this Code shall
25    prohibit a tow truck under instructions of a  police  officer
26    from  legally  clearing  a  disabled  vehicle, that may be in
27    violation of weight limitations of  this  Chapter,  from  the
28    roadway to the berm or shoulder of the highway.
29        For  the purpose of this subsection, gross vehicle weight
30    rating, or GVWR,  shall  mean  the  value  specified  by  the
31    manufacturer as the loaded weight of the tow truck.
32        (e)  No  vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with
33    pneumatic tires shall be operated, unladen or with load, upon
34    the highways of this State in violation of the provisions  of
                            -7-                LRB9009745LDdv
 1    any  permit  issued  under  the provisions of Sections 15-301
 2    through 15-319 of this Chapter.
 3        (f)  Notwithstanding any other provision  in  this  Code,
 4    except for those provisions of subsection (d) of this Section
 5    relating  to emergency operations of public utilities and tow
 6    trucks while actually engaged in the  towing  of  a  disabled
 7    vehicle,  and  those vehicles for which the Department issues
 8    overweight permits under authority of Section 15-301 of  this
 9    Code,  the  weight  limitations  contained in this subsection
10    shall apply to the National System of Interstate and  Defense
11    Highways  and  other highways in the system of State highways
12    that have been designated by the Department as Class  I,  II,
13    or  III.  No vehicle shall be operated on the highways with a
14    weight in excess of 20,000 pounds carried on any one axle  or
15    with  a  tandem  axle weight in excess of 34,000 pounds, or a
16    gross  weight  in  excess  of  80,000  pounds   for   vehicle
17    combinations of 5 axles or more, or a gross weight on a group
18    of  2  or  more  consecutive  axles  in excess of that weight
19    produced by the application of the following formula:
20        W = 500 times the sum of (LN divided by N-1) + 12N + 36
21    Where "W" equals overall gross weight on any group  of  2  or
22    more  consecutive axles to the nearest 500 pounds; "L" equals
23    the distance measured to the nearest foot between extremes of
24    any group of 2 or more consecutive axles; and "N" equals  the
25    number of axles in the group under consideration, except that
26    2  consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of
27    34,000 pounds each, provided the overall distance between the
28    first and last axles of the consecutive sets of tandem  axles
29    is  36  feet  or  more.  Provided  also that a 3-axle vehicle
30    registered as a Special Hauling Vehicle manufactured prior to
31    or in the  model  year  of  2004,  and  first  registered  in
32    Illinois  prior  to  January 1, 2005, with a distance greater
33    than 72 inches but not more than 96 inches between the 2 rear
34    axles may transmit to the road surface a  maximum  weight  of
                            -8-                LRB9009745LDdv
 1    18,000 pounds on each of the 2 rear axles with a gross weight
 2    on  these  2  axles  not to exceed 36,000 pounds. Any vehicle
 3    registered as a Special Hauling Vehicle manufactured prior to
 4    or  in  the  model  year  of  2004  or  thereafter  or  first
 5    registered in Illinois after December 31, 2004, may  transmit
 6    to  the road surface a maximum of 34,000 pounds through the 2
 7    rear axles and neither of the rear axles shall exceed  20,000
 8    pounds.
 9        The  above formula when expressed in tabular form results
10    in allowable loads as follows:
11    Distance measured
12    to the nearest
13    foot between the
14    extremes of any         Maximum load in pounds
15    group of 2 or           carried on any group of
16    more consecutive        2 or more consecutive axles
17    axles
18          feet        2 axles  3 axles  4 axles  5 axles  6 axles
19            4         34,000
20            5         34,000
21            6         34,000
22            7         34,000
23            8         38,000*   42,000
24            9         39,000    42,500
25           10         40,000    43,500
26           11                   44,000
27           12                   45,000   50,000
28           13                   45,500   50,500
29           14                   46,500   51,500
30           15                   47,000   52,000
31           16                   48,000   52,500   58,000
32           17                   48,500   53,500   58,500
33           18                   49,500   54,000   59,000
34           19                   50,000   54,500   60,000
                            -9-                LRB9009745LDdv
 1           20                   51,000   55,500   60,500   66,000
 2           21                   51,500   56,000   61,000   66,500
 3           22                   52,500   56,500   61,500   67,000
 4           23                   53,000   57,500   62,500   68,000
 5           24                   54,000   58,000   63,000   68,500
 6           25                   54,500   58,500   63,500   69,000
 7           26                   55,500   59,500   64,000   69,500
 8           27                   56,000   60,000   65,000   70,000
 9           28                   57,000   60,500   65,500   71,000
10           29                   57,500   61,500   66,000   71,500
11           30                   58,500   62,000   66,500   72,000
12           31                   59,000   62,500   67,500   72,500
13           32                   60,000   63,500   68,000   73,000
14           33                            64,000   68,500   74,000
15           34                            64,500   69,000   74,500
16           35                            65,500   70,000   75,000
17           36                            66,000   70,500   75,500
18           37                            66,500   71,000   76,000
19           38                            67,500   72,000   77,000
20           39                            68,000   72,500   77,500
21           40                            68,500   73,000   78,000
22           41                            69,500   73,500   78,500
23           42                            70,000   74,000   79,000
24           43                            70,500   75,000   80,000
25           44                            71,500   75,500
26           45                            72,000   76,000
27           46                            72,500   76,500
28           47                            73,500   77,500
29           48                            74,000   78,000
30           49                            74,500   78,500
31           50                            75,500   79,000
32           51                            76,000   80,000
33           52                            76,500
34           53                            77,500
                            -10-               LRB9009745LDdv
 1           54                            78,000
 2           55                            78,500
 3           56                            79,500
 4           57                            80,000
 5    *If the distance between 2 axles is 96 inches or less, the  2
 6    axles  are  tandem  axles  and  the maximum load permitted is
 7    34,000 pounds, notwithstanding  the  higher  limit  resulting
 8    from the application of the formula.
 9        In  applying  the  above formula to a vehicle having more
10    than 4 axles that is not a combination, only 4 axles shall be
11    considered in determining the maximum gross weight, and for a
12    combination of vehicles having more  than  6  axles,  only  6
13    axles  shall  be  considered in determining the maximum gross
14    weight.
15        Notwithstanding the above table, 2  consecutive  sets  of
16    tandem  axles  may carry a gross weight of 34,000 pounds each
17    if the overall distance between the first and last  axles  of
18    the consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more.
19        Local    authorities    and    road    district   highway
20    commissioners, with respect to  streets  and  highways  under
21    their  jurisdiction,  without  additional  fees,  may also by
22    ordinance or resolution allow the weight limitations of  this
23    subsection, provided the maximum gross weight on any one axle
24    shall  not  exceed 20,000 pounds and the maximum gross weight
25    on any  tandem  axle  shall  not  exceed  34,000  pounds,  on
26    designated  highways when appropriate regulatory signs giving
27    notice are erected upon the street or highway or  portion  of
28    any   street   or   highway  affected  by  the  ordinance  or
29    resolution.
30        Combinations of vehicles, registered as  Special  Hauling
31    Vehicles  that include a semitrailer manufactured prior to or
32    in the model year of 2004, and first registered  in  Illinois
33    prior  to  January 1, 2005, having 5 axles with a distance of
34    42 feet or less between extreme axles shall be limited to the
                            -11-               LRB9009745LDdv
 1    weights prescribed in subsections (a) and (b) of this Section
 2    and not subject to the bridge formula on the National  System
 3    of  Interstate and Defense Highways and other highways in the
 4    system of State highways designated by  the  Department.  For
 5    all   those   combinations   of   vehicles,  that  include  a
 6    semitrailer manufactured after the  effective  date  of  this
 7    amendatory  Act  of  1986,  the  overall distance between the
 8    first and last axles of the 2 sets of tandems must be 18 feet
 9    6 inches or more. All combinations of vehicles registered  as
10    Special   Hauling   Vehicles   that   include  a  semitrailer
11    manufactured prior to  or  in  the  model  year  of  2004  or
12    thereafter or first registered in Illinois after December 31,
13    2004,  or  that  has  had its cargo container replaced in its
14    entirety after December 31, 2004, are limited  to  the  gross
15    weight allowed by the above formula.
16        A   truck  not  in  combination,  equipped  with  a  self
17    compactor  or  an  industrial  roll-off  hoist  and  roll-off
18    container, used exclusively for garbage or refuse operations,
19    shall be allowed the weights as prescribed in subsections (a)
20    and (b) of  this  Section  and  not  subject  to  the  bridge
21    formula,  provided they are not operated on a highway that is
22    part of the Interstate and Defense Highway System.
23        Vehicles  operating  under  this  subsection  shall  have
24    access for a distance of one highway mile to or from a  Class
25    I  highway  on  any street or highway, unless there is a sign
26    prohibiting the access, or 5 highway miles to or from  either
27    a Class I, II, or III highway on a street or highway included
28    in  the  system  of  State  highways  and  upon any street or
29    highway designated by  local  authorities  or  road  district
30    commissioners  to  points  of  loading  and  unloading and to
31    facilities for food, fuel, repairs and rest.
32        Section 5-35 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act
33    relating to procedures for rulemaking shall not apply to  the
34    designation of highways under this subsection.
                            -12-               LRB9009745LDdv
 1        (g)  No  person shall operate a vehicle or combination of
 2    vehicles  over  a  bridge   or   other   elevated   structure
 3    constituting  part  of  a highway with a gross weight that is
 4    greater than the maximum weight permitted by the  Department,
 5    when  the  structure  is  sign  posted  as  provided  in this
 6    Section.
 7        (h)  The Department upon request from any local authority
 8    shall,  or  upon  its  own   initiative   may,   conduct   an
 9    investigation  of  any  bridge  or  other  elevated structure
10    constituting a part of a highway, and if it  finds  that  the
11    structure  cannot  with safety to itself withstand the weight
12    of  vehicles  otherwise  permissible  under  this  Code   the
13    Department  shall determine and declare the maximum weight of
14    vehicles that the structures can withstand, and  shall  cause
15    or permit suitable signs stating maximum weight to be erected
16    and  maintained  before each end of the structure.  No person
17    shall operate a vehicle or combination of vehicles  over  any
18    structure with a gross weight that is greater than the posted
19    maximum weight.
20        (i)  Upon   the  trial  of  any  person  charged  with  a
21    violation of subsections (g) or (h) of this Section, proof of
22    the determination of the  maximum  allowable  weight  by  the
23    Department  and  the  existence  of  the  signs,  constitutes
24    conclusive  evidence  of  the  maximum  weight  that  can  be
25    maintained with safety to the bridge or structure.
26    (Source: P.A.  89-117,  eff.  7-7-95;  89-433, eff. 12-15-95;
27    90-89, eff. 1-1-98; 90-330, eff. 8-8-97; revised 10-8-97.)

[ Top ]