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91_SB1602eng
SB1602 Engrossed LRB9113034DHmb
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
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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 22,000 pounds, and upon a
30 tandem axle a gross weight not more than 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
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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)
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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; 90-655, eff.
28 7-30-98.)
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