Transportation

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Transportation to create an expedited process for municipalities or counties to submit a request for an expedited review for intersections on State roads.

Amends the School Code. Requires each school district to include in its handbook for grades kindergarten through 12 railroad safety messaging. Allows a school to opt-out of the messaging requirement if the school district votes that the inclusion of such messaging is unnecessary.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that for the purpose of providing the Secretary of State with records necessary to impose a revocation, upon filing with the clerk of court, the clerk shall forward in a manner and form prescribed by the Secretary (i) a copy of a Uniform Citation and Complaint where the officer indicated a crash type of fatal, (ii) a copy of information or an indictment in which a person is charged with a violation of the Code that resulted in the death of another person, or (iii) a copy of information or an indictment in which a person is charged with reckless homicide. Allows the Secretary to adopt rules to implement the provisions. Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Protz-Liddy Act. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law. Provides that, in counties with a population of more than 3,000,000, a lease for pedestrian infrastructure over a State highway initially entered into within one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act may be for a period of time no longer than 35 years. Provides that the land or property shall be leased by the Department of Transportation at fair market value and meet all other statutory requirements.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that if a graduated driver's license holder who is under the age of 18 is convicted of violating State law while operating a motor vehicle with more than one passenger in the vehicle who is under the age of 20, unless any additional passenger or passengers are siblings, step-siblings, children, or stepchildren of the driver, and that results in bodily harm, permanent disability, or death to another, the graduated license shall be suspended for 6 months. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Establishes that a municipality that operates an automated speed enforcement system shall set aside 10% of the net proceeds from each system that generates more than $500,000 in revenue for the respective school district or park district in the safety zone in which the automated speed enforcement system is located. Provides that the set aside proceeds may be allocated for any purpose designated by the school district or park district. Set forth home rule provisions.

Amends the Right-of-Way Article of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to any authorized emergency vehicle obviously and actually engaged in work upon a highway, whether stationary or not, and displaying flashing lights as provided in the Act. Provides that the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to an emergency worker obviously and actually engaged in work upon a highway at an emergency scene, and the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian upon a highway directly involved in the emergency scene. Makes corresponding changes to penalty provisions.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the authority having maintenance jurisdiction over publicly owned paved bicycle trails in the State shall erect permanent regulatory or warning signage alerting pedestrians or cyclists of highway crossings, unless the intersection where the trail crosses the highway is controlled by an official traffic control device or sign. Provides that if the authority having maintenance jurisdiction over publicly owned bicycle trails has actual knowledge of an emergency or safety hazard that creates a dangerous condition on a publicly owned paved bicycle trail, the authority shall take reasonable steps to erect temporary signage or other warning markers, including, but not limited to, cones, barricades, or drums, alerting pedestrians or cyclists of the dangerous condition. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Cycle Rider Safety Training Act. Removes motor driven cycle and moped from the definition of "cycle". Defines "Cycle Rider Safety Training Course Provider" and "Provider" as a for-profit or nonprofit business, community agency, community organization, community college, or State university that is capable of providing courses. Provides that the Department of Transportation shall put out notices to the public seeking Cycle Rider Safety Training Course Providers to provide courses in the State, and that such courses shall be open to all residents of the State who hold a currently valid driver's license and who have reached their 16th birthday before the first day of the course to be held. Allows providers to charge a nominal registration fee set by the Department. Provides that responses from potential providers shall include the location where classes are to be held at, the number of students they intend to train, whether they would be providing motorcycles or using motorcycles owned by the Department, and the cost for courses provided on a per student basis. Provides that contracts shall be awarded by the Department to providers based on training needs and cost effectiveness of each bid or proposal. Provides that a provider shall only be paid grant funds under one of the following conditions: a course was held; expenses submitted related to the maintenance of department owned equipment; or submitting other non-personnel expenses. Provides that a provider awarded a contract with grant funding shall: submit proof that each instructor employed by the provider meets the qualifications to teach the curriculum for the courses; have at least one employee on staff certified to do quality assurance or quality control visits where instructors are evaluated per curriculum standards on teaching; perform at least one quality assurance or quality control visit on each instructor employed during the year and submit the results of those visits to the Department; maintain appropriate liability insurance to cover training activities; submit requests for payment in a timely manner; and adhere to additional program rules and regulations. Prohibits a provider awarded a contract with grant funding from adopting any policy, requirement, or expectation regarding employee's manner of dress outside of the employee's scheduled work hours. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Transportation shall develop and implement a life-cycle costs analysis for each new construction, reconstruction, or replacement road project, except for State rehabilitation and preservation projects, under its jurisdiction for which the total pavement costs exceed $500,000. Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the employee of the Aeronautics Division of the Department of Transportation who is a member of the advisory committee that determines which homes contain windows or doors that cause offensive odors and thus are eligible for replacement shall only cast a vote when breaking a tie. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that every crash report required to be made in writing must be electronically submitted to the Administrator using an electronic format approved by the Administrator (rather than made on an approved form or in an approved electronic format provided by the Administrator). Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately, except that the changes made to the Illinois Vehicle Code are effective January 1, 2027.