State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Engrossed ][ Enrolled ][ House Amendment 001 ]
[ House Amendment 002 ][ Conference Committee Report 001 ]

90_SB0454

      625 ILCS 5/15-111         from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 15-111
          Amends the Illinois Vehicle  Code  to  make  a  technical
      change  to  a  provision  concerning wheel and axle loads and
      gross weights.
                                                     LRB9002853NTsb
                                               LRB9002853NTsb
 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.  An
27    axle load shall be defined as the total load  transmitted  to
28    the  road by all wheels whose centers may be included between
29    2  parallel  transverse  vertical  planes  40  inches   apart
30    extending across the full width of the vehicle.
31        Any 2 or more single axles whose centers are more than 40
                            -2-                LRB9002853NTsb
 1    inches  and  not  more  than 96 inches apart, measured to the
 2    nearest inch between extreme axles in the  series,  shall  be
 3    defined  as tandem axles, and the gross weight transmitted to
 4    the road surface through the series shall not  exceed  32,000
 5    pounds  and  no  axle  of the series shall exceed the maximum
 6    weight permitted  under  this  Section  for  a  single  axle.
 7    Provided  that  on  a  4  axle vehicle or on a 5 or more axle
 8    combination of vehicles the weight on a  series  of  3  axles
 9    whose centers are more than 96 inches apart, measured between
10    extreme  axles  in the series, shall not exceed those allowed
11    on 3 axles in the table contained in subsection (f)  of  this
12    Section and no axle or tandem axle of the series shall exceed
13    the  maximum weight permitted under this Section for a single
14    or tandem axle. Provided also that a 3 axle vehicle or 3 axle
15    truck mixer registered as a  Special  Hauling  Vehicle,  used
16    exclusively  for  the  mixing and transportation of concrete,
17    specially  equipped  with  a  road  surface  engaging   mixer
18    trailing   4th  axle,  manufactured  prior to or in the model
19    year of 2004  and  first  registered  in  Illinois  prior  to
20    January  1,  2005, with a distance greater than 72 inches but
21    not more than 96 inches between any series  of  2  axles  may
22    transmit  to  the  road  surface  a  maximum weight of 18,000
23    pounds on each of these axles with a gross weight on these  2
24    axles   not  to  exceed  36,000  pounds.   Any  such  vehicle
25    manufactured in the model year of 2004 or thereafter or first
26    registered in Illinois after December 31, 2004  may  transmit
27    to  the road surface a maximum of 32,000 pounds through these
28    2 axles and none of the axles shall exceed 18,000 pounds.
29        A truck, not in combination and specially equipped with a
30    selfcompactor, or an industrial roll-off hoist  and  roll-off
31    container, used exclusively for garbage or refuse operations,
32    and  a truck used exclusively for the collection of rendering
33    materials may, however, when laden, transmit  upon  the  road
34    surface  of  any  highway  except  when  part of the National
                            -3-                LRB9002853NTsb
 1    System of Interstate and Defense  Highways,  a  gross  weight
 2    upon  a  single  axle not more than 22,000 pounds, and upon a
 3    tandem axle not  more  than  40,000  pounds.   When  unladen,
 4    however,  those trucks shall comply with the axle limitations
 5    applicable to all other trucks.
 6        A 2 axle truck specially equipped with  a  front  loading
 7    compactor  used exclusively for garbage, refuse, or recycling
 8    may transmit 20,000 pounds per axle provided that  the  gross
 9    weight of the vehicle does not exceed 40,000 pounds.
10        (b)  The  gross  weight  of  vehicles  and combination of
11    vehicles including the weight of the vehicle  or  combination
12    and  its  maximum  load  shall  be  subject  to the foregoing
13    limitations and further shall not exceed the following  gross
14    weights  dependent  upon  the  number  of  axles and distance
15    between extreme axles of the vehicle or combination  measured
16    longitudinally to the nearest foot.
17    VEHICLES HAVING 2 AXLES ....................... 36,000 pounds
18                      VEHICLES OR COMBINATIONS
19                           HAVING 3 AXLES
20    With Tandem                     With or
21       Axles                        Without
22                                    Tandem Axles
23    Minimum                         Minimum
24    distance to        Maximum      distance to         Maximum
25    nearest foot       Gross        nearest foot        Gross
26    between            Weight       between             Weight
27    extreme axles      (pounds)     extreme axles       (pounds)
28    10 feet            41,000       16 feet             46,000
29    11                 42,000       17                  47,000
30    12                 43,000       18                  47,500
31    13                 44,000       19                  48,000
32    14                 44,500       20                  49,000
33    15                 45,000       21 feet or more     50,000
                            -4-                LRB9002853NTsb
 1                      VEHICLES OR COMBINATIONS
 2                           HAVING 4 AXLES
 3    Minimum                         Minimum
 4    distance to        Maximum      distance to         Maximum
 5    nearest foot       Gross        nearest foot        Gross
 6    between            Weight       between             Weight
 7    extreme axles      (pounds)     extreme axles       (pounds)
 8    15 feet            50,000       26 feet             57,500
 9    16                 50,500       27                  58,000
10    17                 51,500       28                  58,500
11    18                 52,000       29                  59,500
12    19                 52,500       30                  60,000
13    20                 53,500       31                  60,500
14    21                 54,000       32                  61,500
15    22                 54,500       33                  62,000
16    23                 55,500       34                  62,500
17    24                 56,000       35                  63,500
18    25                 56,500       36 feet or more     64,000
19        In applying the above table to a vehicle having more than
20    4  axles  that  is  not in combination, only 4 axles shall be
21    considered in determining the maximum gross weights.
22                 COMBINATIONS HAVING 5 OR MORE AXLES
23    Minimum distance to           Maximum
24    nearest foot between          Gross Weight
25    extreme axles                 (pounds)
26    42 feet or less               72,000
27    43                            73,000
28    44 feet or more               73,280
29    VEHICLES OPERATING ON CRAWLER TYPE TRACKS ..... 40,000 pounds
30                 TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SELFCOMPACTORS
31       OR ROLL-OFF HOISTS AND ROLL-OFF CONTAINERS FOR GARBAGE
32              OR REFUSE HAULS ONLY AND TRUCKS USED FOR
33                THE COLLECTION OF RENDERING MATERIALS
                            -5-                LRB9002853NTsb
 1               On Highway Not Part of National System
 2                 of Interstate and Defense Highways
 3    with 2 axles                                    36,000 pounds
 4    with 3 axles                                    54,000 pounds
 5                    TWO AXLE TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH
 6             A FRONT LOADING COMPACTOR USED EXCLUSIVELY
 7         FOR THE COLLECTION OF GARBAGE, REFUSE, OR RECYCLING
 8    with 2 axles                                    40,000 pounds
 9        (c)  Cities having a population of more than  50,000  may
10    permit  by  ordinance  axle loads on 2 axle motor vehicles 33
11    1/2% above those provided for herein, but the increase  shall
12    not  become  effective until the city has officially notified
13    the Department of the passage of the ordinance and shall  not
14    apply  to  those  vehicles  when outside of the limits of the
15    city, nor shall the gross weight of any 2 axle motor  vehicle
16    operating over any street of the city exceed 40,000 pounds.
17        (d)  Weight  limitations  shall  not  apply  to  vehicles
18    (including   loads)   operated   by  a  public  utility  when
19    transporting  equipment  required  for  emergency  repair  of
20    public utility facilities or properties or water wells.
21        A combination of vehicles, including a tow  truck  and  a
22    disabled  vehicle  or  disabled combination of vehicles, that
23    exceeds the weight restriction imposed by this Code,  may  be
24    operated  on  a  public  highway  in this State provided that
25    neither the disabled vehicle nor any vehicle being towed  nor
26    the  tow  truck  itself  shall  exceed the weight limitations
27    permitted under this Chapter. During  the  towing  operation,
28    neither  the  tow  truck  nor  the  vehicle combination shall
29    exceed the following axle weight limitations:
30             A.  24,000 pounds - Single rear axle;
31             B.  44,000 pounds - Tandem rear axle;
32        Gross weight limits shall not apply to the combination of
33    the tow truck  and  vehicles  being  towed.   The  tow  truck
                            -6-                LRB9002853NTsb
 1    license  plate  must  cover the operating empty weight of the
 2    tow truck only. The weight of each vehicle being towed  shall
 3    be  covered  by  a valid license plate issued to the owner or
 4    operator of the vehicle being towed  and  displayed  on  that
 5    vehicle. If no valid plate issued to the owner or operator of
 6    that  vehicle  is  displayed  on  that  vehicle, or the plate
 7    displayed on that vehicle does not cover the  weight  of  the
 8    vehicle,  the  weight  of the vehicle shall be covered by the
 9    third tow truck plate issued to the owner or operator of  the
10    tow truck and temporarily affixed to the vehicle being towed.
11    In addition, the following conditions must be met:
12             (1)  the towing vehicle must be:
13                  a.  specifically designed as a tow truck having
14             a  gross  vehicle  weight  rating of at least 18,000
15             lbs. and equipped with air brakes provided that  air
16             brakes  shall be required only if the towing vehicle
17             is towing a vehicle, semitrailer, or tractor-trailer
18             combination that is equipped with airbrakes;
19                  b.  equipped   with   flashing,   rotating   or
20             oscillating amber lights, visible for at  least  500
21             feet in all directions; and
22                  c.  capable   of  utilizing  the  lighting  and
23             braking  systems  of   the   disabled   vehicle   or
24             combination of vehicles.
25             (2)  The  towing  of the vehicles on the highways of
26        this State shall not exceed 15  miles  from  the  initial
27        point of wreck or disablement. Any additional movement of
28        the   vehicles   shall   only   occur  upon  issuance  of
29        authorization for that movement under the  provisions  of
30        Sections 15-301 through 15-319 of this Chapter.
31        The  Department  may  by  rule  or  regulation  prescribe
32    additional  requirements. However, nothing in this Code shall
33    prohibit a tow truck under instructions of a  police  officer
34    from  legally  clearing  a  disabled  vehicle, that may be in
                            -7-                LRB9002853NTsb
 1    violation of weight limitations of  this  Chapter,  from  the
 2    roadway to the berm or shoulder of the highway.
 3        For  the purpose of this subsection, gross vehicle weight
 4    rating, or GVWR,  shall  mean  the  value  specified  by  the
 5    manufacturer as the loaded weight of the tow truck.
 6        (e)  No  vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with
 7    pneumatic tires shall be operated, unladen or with load, upon
 8    the highways of this State in violation of the provisions  of
 9    any  permit  issued  under  the provisions of Sections 15-301
10    through 15-319 of this Chapter.
11        (f)  Notwithstanding any other provision  in  this  Code,
12    except for those provisions of subsection (d) of this Section
13    relating  to emergency operations of public utilities and tow
14    trucks while actually engaged in the  towing  of  a  disabled
15    vehicle,  and  those vehicles for which the Department issues
16    overweight permits under authority of Section 15-301 of  this
17    Code,  the  weight  limitations  contained in this subsection
18    shall apply to the National System of Interstate and  Defense
19    Highways  and  other highways in the system of State highways
20    that have been designated by the Department as Class  I,  II,
21    or  III.  No vehicle shall be operated on the highways with a
22    weight in excess of 20,000 pounds carried on any one axle  or
23    with  a  tandem  axle weight in excess of 34,000 pounds, or a
24    gross  weight  in  excess  of  80,000  pounds   for   vehicle
25    combinations of 5 axles or more, or a gross weight on a group
26    of  2  or  more  consecutive  axles  in excess of that weight
27    produced by the application of the following formula:
28        W = 500 times the sum of (LN divided by N-1) + 12N + 36
29    Where "W" equals overall gross weight on any group  of  2  or
30    more  consecutive axles to the nearest 500 pounds; "L" equals
31    the distance measured to the nearest foot between extremes of
32    any group of 2 or more consecutive axles; and "N" equals  the
33    number of axles in the group under consideration, except that
34    2  consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of
                            -8-                LRB9002853NTsb
 1    34,000 pounds each, provided the overall distance between the
 2    first and last axles of the consecutive sets of tandem  axles
 3    is  36  feet  or  more.  Provided  also that a 3-axle vehicle
 4    registered as a Special Hauling Vehicle manufactured prior to
 5    or in the  model  year  of  2004,  and  first  registered  in
 6    Illinois  prior  to  January 1, 2005, with a distance greater
 7    than 72 inches but not more than 96 inches between the 2 rear
 8    axles may transmit to the road surface a  maximum  weight  of
 9    18,000 pounds on each of the 2 rear axles with a gross weight
10    on  these  2  axles  not to exceed 36,000 pounds. Any vehicle
11    registered as a Special Hauling Vehicle manufactured prior to
12    or  in  the  model  year  of  2004  or  thereafter  or  first
13    registered in Illinois after December 31, 2004, may  transmit
14    to  the road surface a maximum of 34,000 pounds through the 2
15    rear axles and neither of the rear axles shall exceed  20,000
16    pounds.  For  purposes of this subsection, tandem axles shall
17    be defined as any 2 or more single axles  whose  centers  are
18    more  than  40  inches  and  not  more  than 96 inches apart,
19    measured to the nearest inch between  extreme  axles  in  the
20    series.
21        The  above formula when expressed in tabular form results
22    in allowable loads as follows:
23    Distance measured
24    to the nearest
25    foot between the
26    extremes of any         Maximum load in pounds
27    group of 2 or           carried on any group of
28    more consecutive        2 or more consecutive axles
29    axles
30          feet        2 axles  3 axles  4 axles  5 axles  6 axles
31            4         34,000
32            5         34,000
33            6         34,000
34            7         34,000
                            -9-                LRB9002853NTsb
 1            8         38,000*   42,000
 2            9         39,000    42,500
 3           10         40,000    43,500
 4           11                   44,000
 5           12                   45,000   50,000
 6           13                   45,500   50,500
 7           14                   46,500   51,500
 8           15                   47,000   52,000
 9           16                   48,000   52,500   58,000
10           17                   48,500   53,500   58,500
11           18                   49,500   54,000   59,000
12           19                   50,000   54,500   60,000
13           20                   51,000   55,500   60,500   66,000
14           21                   51,500   56,000   61,000   66,500
15           22                   52,500   56,500   61,500   67,000
16           23                   53,000   57,500   62,500   68,000
17           24                   54,000   58,000   63,000   68,500
18           25                   54,500   58,500   63,500   69,000
19           26                   55,500   59,500   64,000   69,500
20           27                   56,000   60,000   65,000   70,000
21           28                   57,000   60,500   65,500   71,000
22           29                   57,500   61,500   66,000   71,500
23           30                   58,500   62,000   66,500   72,000
24           31                   59,000   62,500   67,500   72,500
25           32                   60,000   63,500   68,000   73,000
26           33                            64,000   68,500   74,000
27           34                            64,500   69,000   74,500
28           35                            65,500   70,000   75,000
29           36                            66,000   70,500   75,500
30           37                            66,500   71,000   76,000
31           38                            67,500   72,000   77,000
32           39                            68,000   72,500   77,500
33           40                            68,500   73,000   78,000
34           41                            69,500   73,500   78,500
                            -10-               LRB9002853NTsb
 1           42                            70,000   74,000   79,000
 2           43                            70,500   75,000   80,000
 3           44                            71,500   75,500
 4           45                            72,000   76,000
 5           46                            72,500   76,500
 6           47                            73,500   77,500
 7           48                            74,000   78,000
 8           49                            74,500   78,500
 9           50                            75,500   79,000
10           51                            76,000   80,000
11           52                            76,500
12           53                            77,500
13           54                            78,000
14           55                            78,500
15           56                            79,500
16           57                            80,000
17    *If the distance between 2 axles is 96 inches or less, the  2
18    axles  are  tandem  axles  and  the maximum load permitted is
19    34,000 pounds, notwithstanding  the  higher  limit  resulting
20    from the application of the formula.
21        In  applying  the  above formula to a vehicle having more
22    than 4 axles that is not a combination, only 4 axles shall be
23    considered in determining the maximum gross weight, and for a
24    combination of vehicles having more  than  6  axles,  only  6
25    axles  shall  be  considered in determining the maximum gross
26    weight.
27        Notwithstanding the above table, 2  consecutive  sets  of
28    tandem  axles  may carry a gross weight of 34,000 pounds each
29    if the overall distance between the first and last  axles  of
30    the consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more.
31        Local    authorities    and    road    district   highway
32    commissioners, with respect to  streets  and  highways  under
33    their  jurisdiction,  without  additional  fees,  may also by
34    ordinance or resolution allow the weight limitations of  this
                            -11-               LRB9002853NTsb
 1    subsection, provided the maximum gross weight on any one axle
 2    shall  not  exceed 20,000 pounds and the maximum gross weight
 3    on any  tandem  axle  shall  not  exceed  34,000  pounds,  on
 4    designated  highways when appropriate regulatory signs giving
 5    notice are erected upon the street or highway or  portion  of
 6    any   street   or   highway  affected  by  the  ordinance  or
 7    resolution.
 8        Combinations of vehicles, registered as  Special  Hauling
 9    Vehicles  that include a semitrailer manufactured prior to or
10    in the model year of 2004, and first registered  in  Illinois
11    prior  to  January 1, 2005, having 5 axles with a distance of
12    42 feet or less between extreme axles shall be limited to the
13    weights prescribed in subsections (a) and (b) of this Section
14    and not subject to the bridge formula on the National  System
15    of  Interstate and Defense Highways and other highways in the
16    system of State highways designated by  the  Department.  For
17    all   those   combinations   of   vehicles,  that  include  a
18    semitrailer manufactured after the  effective  date  of  this
19    amendatory  Act  of  1986,  the  overall distance between the
20    first and last axles of the 2 sets of tandems must be 18 feet
21    6 inches or more. All combinations of vehicles registered  as
22    Special   Hauling   Vehicles   that   include  a  semitrailer
23    manufactured prior to  or  in  the  model  year  of  2004  or
24    thereafter or first registered in Illinois after December 31,
25    2004,  or  that  has  had its cargo container replaced in its
26    entirety after December 31, 2004, are limited  to  the  gross
27    weight allowed by the above formula.
28        A   truck  not  in  combination,  equipped  with  a  self
29    compactor  or  an  industrial  roll-off  hoist  and  roll-off
30    container, used exclusively for garbage or refuse operations,
31    shall be allowed the weights as prescribed in subsections (a)
32    and (b) of  this  Section  and  not  subject  to  the  bridge
33    formula,  provided they are not operated on a highway that is
34    part of the Interstate and Defense Highway System.
                            -12-               LRB9002853NTsb
 1        Vehicles  operating  under  this  subsection  shall  have
 2    access for a distance of one highway mile to or from a  Class
 3    I  highway  on  any street or highway, unless there is a sign
 4    prohibiting the access, or 5 highway miles to or from  either
 5    a Class I, II, or III highway on a street or highway included
 6    in  the  system  of  State  highways  and  upon any street or
 7    highway designated by  local  authorities  or  road  district
 8    commissioners  to  points  of  loading  and  unloading and to
 9    facilities for food, fuel, repairs and rest.
10        Section 5-35 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act
11    relating to procedures for rulemaking shall not apply to  the
12    designation of highways under this subsection.
13        (g)  No  person shall operate a vehicle or combination of
14    vehicles  over  a  bridge   or   other   elevated   structure
15    constituting  part  of  a highway with a gross weight that is
16    greater than the maximum weight permitted by the  Department,
17    when  the  structure  is  sign  posted  as  provided  in this
18    Section.
19        (h)  The Department upon request from any local authority
20    shall,  or  upon  its  own   initiative   may,   conduct   an
21    investigation  of  any  bridge  or  other  elevated structure
22    constituting a part of a highway, and if it  finds  that  the
23    structure  cannot  with safety to itself withstand the weight
24    of  vehicles  otherwise  permissible  under  this  Code   the
25    Department  shall determine and declare the maximum weight of
26    vehicles that the structures can withstand, and  shall  cause
27    or permit suitable signs stating maximum weight to be erected
28    and  maintained  before each end of the structure.  No person
29    shall operate a vehicle or combination of vehicles  over  any
30    structure with a gross weight that is greater than the posted
31    maximum weight.
32        (i)  Upon   the  trial  of  any  person  charged  with  a
33    violation of subsections (g) or (h) of this Section, proof of
34    the determination of the  maximum  allowable  weight  by  the
                            -13-               LRB9002853NTsb
 1    Department  and  the  existence  of  the  signs,  constitutes
 2    conclusive  evidence  of  the  maximum  weight  that  can  be
 3    maintained with safety to the bridge or structure.
 4    (Source: P.A.  88-45;  88-385;  88-403;  88-476; 88-670, eff.
 5    12-2-94; 89-117, eff. 7-7-95; 89-433, eff. 12-15-95.)

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