HB2411 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB098 08926 MLW 39058 b

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB2411

Introduced , by Rep. Jay Hoffman

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

625 ILCS 5/11-605.1
625 ILCS 5/11-908	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-908

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Requires construction and maintenance zones to install signs with flashing yellow lights that notify motorists of the presence of workers by having the flashing lights in operation while workers are present.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning transportation.

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 Sections 11-605.1 and 11-908 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/11-605.1)

Sec. 11-605.1. Special limit while traveling through a highway construction or maintenance speed zone.

(a) A person may not operate a motor vehicle in a construction or maintenance speed zone at a speed in excess of the posted speed limit.

(b) Nothing in this Chapter prohibits the use of electronic speed-detecting devices within 500 feet of signs within a construction or maintenance speed zone indicating the zone, as defined in this Section, nor shall evidence obtained by use of those devices be inadmissible in any prosecution for speeding, provided the use of the device shall apply only to the enforcement of the speed limit in the construction or maintenance speed zone.

(c) As used in this Section, a "construction or maintenance speed zone" is an area in which the Department, Toll Highway Authority, or local agency has posted signage advising drivers that a construction or maintenance speed zone is being approached, or in which the Department, Authority, or local agency has posted a lower speed limit with a highway construction or maintenance speed zone special speed limit sign after determining that the preexisting established speed limit through a highway construction or maintenance project is greater than is reasonable or safe with respect to the conditions expected to exist in the construction or maintenance speed zone. These signs shall be affixed with flashing yellow lights that are in operation while workers are present in the construction or maintenance speed zone.

If it is determined that the preexisting established speed limit is safe with respect to the conditions expected to exist in the construction or maintenance speed zone, additional speed limit signs which conform to the requirements of this subsection (c) shall be posted.

Highway construction or maintenance speed zone special speed limit signs shall be of a design approved by the Department. The signs must give proper due warning that a construction or maintenance speed zone is being approached and must indicate the maximum speed limit in effect. The signs also must state the amount of the minimum fine for a violation.

(d) A first violation of this Section is a petty offense with a minimum fine of $250. A second or subsequent violation of this Section is a petty offense with a minimum fine of $750.

(e) If a fine for a violation of this Section is $250 or greater, the person who violated this Section shall be charged an additional $125, which shall be deposited into the Transportation Safety Highway Hire-back Fund in the State treasury, unless (i) the violation occurred on a highway other than an interstate highway and (ii) a county police officer wrote the ticket for the violation, in which case the $125 shall be deposited into that county's Transportation Safety Highway Hire-back Fund. In the case of a second or subsequent violation of this Section, if the fine is $750 or greater, the person who violated this Section shall be charged an additional $250, which shall be deposited into the Transportation Safety Highway Hire-back Fund in the State treasury, unless (i) the violation occurred on a highway other than an interstate highway and (ii) a county police officer wrote the ticket for the violation, in which case the $250 shall be deposited into that county's Transportation Safety Highway Hire-back Fund.

(e-5) The Department of State Police and the local county police department have concurrent jurisdiction over any violation of this Section that occurs on an interstate highway.

(f) The Transportation Safety Highway Hire-back Fund, which was created by Public Act 92-619, shall continue to be a special fund in the State treasury. Subject to appropriation by the General Assembly and approval by the Secretary, the Secretary of Transportation shall use all moneys in the Transportation Safety Highway Hire-back Fund to hire off-duty Department of State Police officers to monitor construction or maintenance zones.

(f-5) Each county shall create a Transportation Safety Highway Hire-back Fund. The county shall use all moneys in its Transportation Safety Highway Hire-back Fund to hire off-duty county police officers to monitor construction or maintenance zones in that county on highways other than interstate highways.

(g) For a second or subsequent violation of this Section within 2 years of the date of the previous violation, the Secretary of State shall suspend the driver's license of the violator for a period of 90 days.

(Source: P.A. 97-830, eff. 1-1-13.)

(625 ILCS 5/11-908) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-908)

Sec. 11-908. Vehicle approaching or entering a highway construction or maintenance area or zone.

(a) The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right of way to any authorized vehicle or pedestrian actually engaged in work upon a highway within any highway construction or maintenance area indicated by official traffic-control devices. These official traffic-control devices must include signs notifying motorists of the presence of workers when lights are flashing, with flashing yellow lights affixed to these signs that are in operation while workers are present.

(a-1) Upon entering a construction or maintenance zone when workers are present and flashing yellow lights are in operation, a person who drives a vehicle shall:

(1) proceeding with due caution, make a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the workers present, if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, if on a highway having at least 4 lanes with not less than 2 lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle; or

(2) proceeding with due caution, reduce the speed of the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for road conditions, if changing lanes would be impossible or unsafe.

(a-2) A person who violates subsection (a-1) of this Section commits a business offense punishable by a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $10,000. It is a factor in aggravation if the person committed the offense while in violation of Section 11-501 of this Code.

(a-3) If a violation of subsection (a-1) of this Section results in damage to the property of another person, in addition to any other penalty imposed, the person's driving privileges shall be suspended for a fixed period of not less than 90 days and not more than one year.

(a-4) If a violation of subsection (a-1) of this Section results in injury to another person, in addition to any other penalty imposed, the person's driving privileges shall be suspended for a fixed period of not less than 180 days and not more than 2 years.

(a-5) If a violation of subsection (a-1) of this Section results in the death of another person, in addition to any other penalty imposed, the person's driving privileges shall be suspended for 2 years.

(a-6) The Secretary of State shall, upon receiving a record of a judgment entered against a person under subsection (a-1) of this Section:

(1) suspend the person's driving privileges for the mandatory period; or

(2) extend the period of an existing suspension by the appropriate mandatory period.

(b) The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right of way to any authorized vehicle obviously and actually engaged in work upon a highway whenever the vehicle engaged in construction or maintenance work displays flashing lights as provided in Section 12-215 of this Act.

(c) The driver of a vehicle shall stop if signaled to do so by a flagger or a traffic control signal and remain in such position until signaled to proceed. If a driver of a vehicle fails to stop when signaled to do so by a flagger, the flagger is authorized to report such offense to the State's Attorney or authorized prosecutor. The penalties imposed for a violation of this subsection (c) shall be in addition to any penalties imposed for a violation of subsection (a-1).

(Source: P.A. 92-872, eff. 6-1-03; 93-705, eff. 7-9-04.)