093_SB0563
LRB093 02177 DRH 02184 b
1 AN ACT in relation to vehicles.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by
5 changing Section 15-111 as follows:
6 (625 ILCS 5/15-111) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 15-111)
7 Sec. 15-111. Wheel and axle loads and gross weights.
8 (a) On non-designated highways, no vehicle or
9 combination of vehicles equipped with pneumatic tires may be
10 operated, unladen or with load, when the total weight
11 transmitted to the road surface exceeds 18,000 pounds on a
12 single axle or 32,000 pounds on a tandem axle with no axle
13 within the tandem exceeding 18,000 pounds except:
14 (1) when a different limit is established and
15 posted in accordance with Section 15-316 of this Code;
16 (2) vehicles for which the Department of
17 Transportation and local authorities issue overweight
18 permits under authority of Section 15-301 of this Code;
19 (3) tow trucks subject to the conditions provided
20 in subsection (d) may not exceed 24,000 pounds on a
21 single rear axle or 44,000 pounds on a tandem rear axle;
22 (4) any single axle of a 2-axle truck weighing
23 36,000 pounds or less and not a part of a combination of
24 vehicles, shall not exceed 20,000 pounds;
25 (5) any single axle of a 2-axle truck equipped with
26 a personnel lift or digger derrick, weighing 36,000
27 pounds or less, owned and operated by a public utility,
28 shall not exceed 20,000 pounds;
29 (6) any single axle of a 2-axle truck specially
30 equipped with a front loading compactor used exclusively
31 for garbage, refuse, or recycling may not exceed 20,000
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1 pounds per axle, provided that the gross weight of the
2 vehicle does not exceed 40,000 pounds;
3 (7) a truck, not in combination and specially
4 equipped with a selfcompactor or an industrial roll-off
5 hoist and roll-off container, used exclusively for
6 garbage or refuse operations may, when laden, transmit
7 upon the road surface the following maximum weights:
8 22,000 pounds on a single axle; 40,000 pounds on a tandem
9 axle;
10 (8) a truck, not in combination and used
11 exclusively for the collection of rendering materials,
12 may, when laden, transmit upon the road surface the
13 following maximum weights: 22,000 pounds on a single
14 axle; 40,000 pounds on a tandem axle;
15 (9) tandem axles on a 3-axle truck registered as a
16 Special Hauling Vehicle, manufactured prior to or in the
17 model year of 2004 and first registered in Illinois prior
18 to January 1, 2005, with a distance greater than 72
19 inches but not more than 96 inches between any series of
20 2 axles, is allowed a combined weight on the series not
21 to exceed 36,000 pounds and neither axle of the series
22 may exceed 18,000 pounds. Any vehicle of this type
23 manufactured after the model year of 2004 or first
24 registered in Illinois after December 31, 2004 may not
25 exceed a combined weight of 32,000 pounds through the
26 series of 2 axles and neither axle of the series may
27 exceed 18,000 pounds;
28 (10) tandem axles on a 4-axle truck mixer, whose
29 fourth axle is a road surface engaging mixer trailing
30 axle, registered as a Special Hauling Vehicle, used
31 exclusively for the mixing and transportation of concrete
32 and manufactured prior to or in the model year of 2004
33 and first registered in Illinois prior to January 1,
34 2005, with a distance greater than 72 inches but not more
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1 than 96 inches between any series of 2 axles, is allowed
2 a combined weight on the series not to exceed 36,000
3 pounds and neither axle of the series may exceed 18,000
4 pounds. Any vehicle of this type manufactured after the
5 model year of 2004 or first registered in Illinois after
6 December 31, 2004 may not exceed a combined weight of
7 32,000 pounds through the series of 2 axles and neither
8 axle of the series may exceed 18,000 pounds;
9 (11) 4-axle vehicles or a 5 or more axle
10 combination of vehicles: The weight transmitted upon the
11 road surface through any series of 3 axles whose centers
12 are more than 96 inches apart, measured between extreme
13 axles in the series, may not exceed those allowed in the
14 table contained in subsection (f) of this Section. No
15 axle or tandem axle of the series may exceed the maximum
16 weight permitted under this Section for a single or
17 tandem axle.
18 No vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with other
19 than pneumatic tires may be operated, unladen or with load,
20 upon the highways of this State when the gross weight on the
21 road surface through any wheel exceeds 800 pounds per inch
22 width of tire tread or when the gross weight on the road
23 surface through any axle exceeds 16,000 pounds.
24 (b) On non-designated highways, the gross weight of
25 vehicles and combination of vehicles including the weight of
26 the vehicle or combination and its maximum load shall be
27 subject to the foregoing limitations and further shall not
28 exceed the following gross weights dependent upon the number
29 of axles and distance between extreme axles of the vehicle or
30 combination measured longitudinally to the nearest foot.
31 VEHICLES HAVING 2 AXLES ....................... 36,000 pounds
32 VEHICLES OR COMBINATIONS
33 HAVING 3 AXLES
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1 With Tandem With or
2 Axles Without
3 Tandem Axles
4 Minimum Minimum
5 distance to Maximum distance to Maximum
6 nearest foot Gross nearest foot Gross
7 between Weight between Weight
8 extreme axles (pounds) extreme axles (pounds)
9 10 feet 41,000 16 feet 46,000
10 11 42,000 17 47,000
11 12 43,000 18 47,500
12 13 44,000 19 48,000
13 14 44,500 20 49,000
14 15 45,000 21 feet or more 50,000
15 VEHICLES OR COMBINATIONS
16 HAVING 4 AXLES
17 Minimum Minimum
18 distance to Maximum distance to Maximum
19 nearest foot Gross nearest foot Gross
20 between Weight between Weight
21 extreme axles (pounds) extreme axles (pounds)
22 15 feet 50,000 26 feet 57,500
23 16 50,500 27 58,000
24 17 51,500 28 58,500
25 18 52,000 29 59,500
26 19 52,500 30 60,000
27 20 53,500 31 60,500
28 21 54,000 32 61,500
29 22 54,500 33 62,000
30 23 55,500 34 62,500
31 24 56,000 35 63,500
32 25 56,500 36 feet or more 64,000
33 A vehicle not in a combination having more than 4 axles
34 may not exceed the weight in the table in this subsection (b)
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1 for 4 axles measured between the extreme axles of the
2 vehicle.
3 COMBINATIONS HAVING 5 OR MORE AXLES
4 Minimum distance to Maximum
5 nearest foot between Gross Weight
6 extreme axles (pounds)
7 42 feet or less 72,000
8 43 73,000
9 44 feet or more 73,280
10 VEHICLES OPERATING ON CRAWLER TYPE TRACKS ..... 40,000 pounds
11 TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SELFCOMPACTORS
12 OR ROLL-OFF HOISTS AND ROLL-OFF CONTAINERS FOR GARBAGE
13 OR REFUSE HAULS ONLY AND TRUCKS USED FOR
14 THE COLLECTION OF RENDERING MATERIALS
15 On Highway Not Part of National System
16 of Interstate and Defense Highways
17 with 2 axles 36,000 pounds
18 with 3 axles 54,000 pounds
19 TWO AXLE TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH
20 A FRONT LOADING COMPACTOR USED EXCLUSIVELY
21 FOR THE COLLECTION OF GARBAGE, REFUSE, OR RECYCLING
22 with 2 axles 40,000 pounds
23 (c) Cities having a population of more than 50,000 may
24 permit by ordinance axle loads on 2 axle motor vehicles 33
25 1/2% above those provided for herein, but the increase shall
26 not become effective until the city has officially notified
27 the Department of the passage of the ordinance and shall not
28 apply to those vehicles when outside of the limits of the
29 city, nor shall the gross weight of any 2 axle motor vehicle
30 operating over any street of the city exceed 40,000 pounds.
31 (d) Weight limitations shall not apply to vehicles
32 (including loads) operated by a public utility when
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1 transporting equipment required for emergency repair of
2 public utility facilities or properties or water wells.
3 A combination of vehicles, including a tow truck and a
4 disabled vehicle or disabled combination of vehicles, that
5 exceeds the weight restriction imposed by this Code, may be
6 operated on a public highway in this State provided that
7 neither the disabled vehicle nor any vehicle being towed nor
8 the tow truck itself shall exceed the weight limitations
9 permitted under this Chapter. During the towing operation,
10 neither the tow truck nor the vehicle combination shall
11 exceed 24,000 pounds on a single rear axle, and 44,000 pounds
12 on a tandem rear axle, or 64,000 pounds on a triple rear
13 axle, provided the towing vehicle:
14 (1) is specifically designed as a tow truck having
15 a gross vehicle weight rating of at least 18,000 pounds
16 and is equipped with air brakes, provided that air brakes
17 are required only if the towing vehicle is towing a
18 vehicle, semitrailer, or tractor-trailer combination that
19 is equipped with air brakes;
20 (2) is equipped with flashing, rotating, or
21 oscillating amber lights, visible for at least 500 feet
22 in all directions;
23 (3) is capable of utilizing the lighting and
24 braking systems of the disabled vehicle or combination of
25 vehicles; and
26 (4) does not engage in a tow exceeding 20 miles
27 from the initial point of wreck or disablement. Any
28 additional movement of the vehicles may occur only upon
29 issuance of authorization for that movement under the
30 provisions of Sections 15-301 through 15-319 of this
31 Code.
32 Gross weight limits shall not apply to the combination of
33 the tow truck and vehicles being towed. The tow truck
34 license plate must cover the operating empty weight of the
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1 tow truck only. The weight of each vehicle being towed shall
2 be covered by a valid license plate issued to the owner or
3 operator of the vehicle being towed and displayed on that
4 vehicle. If no valid plate issued to the owner or operator of
5 that vehicle is displayed on that vehicle, or the plate
6 displayed on that vehicle does not cover the weight of the
7 vehicle, the weight of the vehicle shall be covered by the
8 third tow truck plate issued to the owner or operator of the
9 tow truck and temporarily affixed to the vehicle being towed.
10 The Department may by rule or regulation prescribe
11 additional requirements. However, nothing in this Code shall
12 prohibit a tow truck under instructions of a police officer
13 from legally clearing a disabled vehicle, that may be in
14 violation of weight limitations of this Chapter, from the
15 roadway to the berm or shoulder of the highway. If in the
16 opinion of the police officer that location is unsafe, the
17 officer is authorized to have the disabled vehicle towed to
18 the nearest place of safety.
19 For the purpose of this subsection, gross vehicle weight
20 rating, or GVWR, shall mean the value specified by the
21 manufacturer as the loaded weight of the tow truck.
22 (e) No vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with
23 pneumatic tires shall be operated, unladen or with load, upon
24 the highways of this State in violation of the provisions of
25 any permit issued under the provisions of Sections 15-301
26 through 15-319 of this Chapter.
27 (f) On designated Class I, II, or III highways and the
28 National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, no
29 vehicle or combination of vehicles with pneumatic tires may
30 be operated, unladen or with load, when the total weight on
31 the road surface exceeds the following: 20,000 pounds on a
32 single axle; 34,000 pounds on a tandem axle with no axle
33 within the tandem exceeding 20,000 pounds; 80,000 pounds
34 gross weight for vehicle combinations of 5 or more axles; or
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1 a total weight on a group of 2 or more consecutive axles in
2 excess of that weight produced by the application of the
3 following formula: W = 500 times the sum of (LN divided by
4 N-1) + 12N + 36, where "W" equals overall total weight on any
5 group of 2 or more consecutive axles to the nearest 500
6 pounds, "L" equals the distance measured to the nearest foot
7 between extremes of any group of 2 or more consecutive axles,
8 and "N" equals the number of axles in the group under
9 consideration.
10 The above formula when expressed in tabular form results
11 in allowable loads as follows:
12 Distance measured
13 to the nearest
14 foot between the
15 extremes of any Maximum weight in pounds
16 group of 2 or of any group of
17 more consecutive 2 or more consecutive axles
18 axles
19 feet 2 axles 3 axles 4 axles 5 axles 6 axles
20 4 34,000
21 5 34,000
22 6 34,000
23 7 34,000
24 8 38,000* 42,000
25 9 39,000 42,500
26 10 40,000 43,500
27 11 44,000
28 12 45,000 50,000
29 13 45,500 50,500
30 14 46,500 51,500
31 15 47,000 52,000
32 16 48,000 52,500 58,000
33 17 48,500 53,500 58,500
34 18 49,500 54,000 59,000
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1 19 50,000 54,500 60,000
2 20 51,000 55,500 60,500 66,000
3 21 51,500 56,000 61,000 66,500
4 22 52,500 56,500 61,500 67,000
5 23 53,000 57,500 62,500 68,000
6 24 54,000 58,000 63,000 68,500
7 25 54,500 58,500 63,500 69,000
8 26 55,500 59,500 64,000 69,500
9 27 56,000 60,000 65,000 70,000
10 28 57,000 60,500 65,500 71,000
11 29 57,500 61,500 66,000 71,500
12 30 58,500 62,000 66,500 72,000
13 31 59,000 62,500 67,500 72,500
14 32 60,000 63,500 68,000 73,000
15 33 64,000 68,500 74,000
16 34 64,500 69,000 74,500
17 35 65,500 70,000 75,000
18 36 66,000 70,500 75,500
19 37 66,500 71,000 76,000
20 38 67,500 72,000 77,000
21 39 68,000 72,500 77,500
22 40 68,500 73,000 78,000
23 41 69,500 73,500 78,500
24 42 70,000 74,000 79,000
25 43 70,500 75,000 80,000
26 44 71,500 75,500
27 45 72,000 76,000
28 46 72,500 76,500
29 47 73,500 77,500
30 48 74,000 78,000
31 49 74,500 78,500
32 50 75,500 79,000
33 51 76,000 80,000
34 52 76,500
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1 53 77,500
2 54 78,000
3 55 78,500
4 56 79,500
5 57 80,000
6 *If the distance between 2 axles is 96 inches or less, the 2
7 axles are tandem axles and the maximum total weight may not
8 exceed 34,000 pounds, notwithstanding the higher limit
9 resulting from the application of the formula.
10 Vehicles not in a combination having more than 4 axles
11 may not exceed the weight in the table in this subsection (f)
12 for 4 axles measured between the extreme axles of the
13 vehicle.
14 Vehicles in a combination having more than 6 axles may
15 not exceed the weight in the table in this subsection (f) for
16 6 axles measured between the extreme axles of the
17 combination.
18 Local authorities and road district highway
19 commissioners, with respect to streets and highways under
20 their jurisdiction, without additional fees, may also by
21 ordinance or resolution allow the weight limitations of this
22 subsection, provided the maximum gross weight on any one axle
23 shall not exceed 20,000 pounds and the maximum total weight
24 on any tandem axle shall not exceed 34,000 pounds, on
25 designated highways when appropriate regulatory signs giving
26 notice are erected upon the street or highway or portion of
27 any street or highway affected by the ordinance or
28 resolution.
29 The following are exceptions to the above formula:
30 (1) Two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry
31 a total weight of 34,000 pounds each if the overall
32 distance between the first and last axles of the
33 consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more.
34 (2) Vehicles for which a different limit is
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1 established and posted in accordance with Section 15-316
2 of this Code.
3 (3) Vehicles for which the Department of
4 Transportation and local authorities issue overweight
5 permits under authority of Section 15-301 of this Code.
6 These vehicles are not subject to the bridge formula.
7 (4) Tow trucks subject to the conditions provided
8 in subsection (d) may not exceed 24,000 pounds on a
9 single rear axle or 44,000 pounds on a tandem rear axle.
10 (5) A tandem axle on a 3-axle truck registered as a
11 Special Hauling Vehicle, manufactured prior to or in the
12 model year of 2004, and registered in Illinois prior to
13 January 1, 2005, with a distance between 2 axles in a
14 series greater than 72 inches but not more than 96 inches
15 may not exceed a total weight of 36,000 pounds and
16 neither axle of the series may exceed 18,000 pounds.
17 (6) A truck not in combination, equipped with a
18 self compactor or an industrial roll-off hoist and
19 roll-off container, used exclusively for garbage or
20 refuse operations, may, when laden, transmit upon the
21 road surface, except when on part of the National System
22 of Interstate and Defense Highways, the following maximum
23 weights: 22,000 pounds on a single axle; 40,000 pounds on
24 a tandem axle; 36,000 pounds gross weight on a 2-axle
25 vehicle; 54,000 pounds gross weight on a 3-axle vehicle.
26 This vehicle is not subject to the bridge formula.
27 (7) Combinations of vehicles, registered as Special
28 Hauling Vehicles that include a semitrailer manufactured
29 prior to or in the model year of 2004, and registered in
30 Illinois prior to January 1, 2005, having 5 axles with a
31 distance of 42 feet or less between extreme axles, may
32 not exceed the following maximum weights: 18,000 pounds
33 on a single axle; 32,000 pounds on a tandem axle; and
34 72,000 pounds gross weight. This combination of vehicles
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1 is not subject to the bridge formula. For all those
2 combinations of vehicles that include a semitrailer
3 manufactured after the effective date of this amendatory
4 Act of the 92nd General Assembly, the overall distance
5 between the first and last axles of the 2 sets of tandems
6 must be 18 feet 6 inches or more. Any combination of
7 vehicles that has had its cargo container replaced in its
8 entirety after December 31, 2004 may not exceed the
9 weights allowed by the bridge formula.
10 No vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with other
11 than pneumatic tires may be operated, unladen or with load,
12 upon the highways of this State when the gross weight on the
13 road surface through any wheel exceeds 800 pounds per inch
14 width of tire tread or when the gross weight on the road
15 surface through any axle exceeds 16,000 pounds.
16 (f-1) A vehicle and load not exceeding 73,280 pounds is
17 allowed access as follows:
18 (1) From any State designated highway onto any
19 county, township, or municipal highway for a distance of
20 5 highway miles for the purpose of loading and unloading,
21 provided:
22 (A) The vehicle and load does not exceed 8
23 feet 6 inches in width and 65 feet overall length.
24 (B) There is no sign prohibiting that access.
25 (C) The route is not being used as a
26 thoroughfare between State designated highways.
27 (2) From any State designated highway onto any
28 county or township highway for a distance of 5 highway
29 miles, or any municipal highway for a distance of one
30 highway mile for the purpose of food, fuel, repairs, and
31 rest, provided:
32 (A) The vehicle and load does not exceed 8
33 feet 6 inches in width and 65 feet overall length.
34 (B) There is no sign prohibiting that access.
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1 (C) The route is not being used as a
2 thoroughfare between State designated highways.
3 (f-2) A vehicle and load greater than 73,280 pounds in
4 weight but not exceeding 80,000 pounds is allowed access as
5 follows:
6 (1) From a Class I highway onto any street or
7 highway for a distance of one highway mile for the
8 purpose of loading, unloading, food, fuel, repairs, and
9 rest, provided there is no sign prohibiting that access.
10 (2) From a Class I, II, or III highway onto any
11 State highway or any local designated highway for a
12 distance of 5 highway miles for the purpose of loading,
13 unloading, food, fuel, repairs, and rest.
14 Section 5-35 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act
15 relating to procedures for rulemaking shall not apply to the
16 designation of highways under this subsection.
17 (g) No person shall operate a vehicle or combination of
18 vehicles over a bridge or other elevated structure
19 constituting part of a highway with a gross weight that is
20 greater than the maximum weight permitted by the Department,
21 when the structure is sign posted as provided in this
22 Section.
23 (h) The Department upon request from any local authority
24 shall, or upon its own initiative may, conduct an
25 investigation of any bridge or other elevated structure
26 constituting a part of a highway, and if it finds that the
27 structure cannot with safety to itself withstand the weight
28 of vehicles otherwise permissible under this Code the
29 Department shall determine and declare the maximum weight of
30 vehicles that the structures can withstand, and shall cause
31 or permit suitable signs stating maximum weight to be erected
32 and maintained before each end of the structure. No person
33 shall operate a vehicle or combination of vehicles over any
34 structure with a gross weight that is greater than the posted
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1 maximum weight.
2 (i) Upon the trial of any person charged with a
3 violation of subsections (g) or (h) of this Section, proof of
4 the determination of the maximum allowable weight by the
5 Department and the existence of the signs, constitutes
6 conclusive evidence of the maximum weight that can be
7 maintained with safety to the bridge or structure.
8 (Source: P.A. 92-417, eff. 1-1-02.)