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 each violation of a provision of the Code or a local ordinance recorded by an automated traffic law enforcement system, the county or municipality having jurisdiction shall issue a written notice of the violation to the registered owner of the vehicle who shall be liable for the violation unless otherwise provided. Provides that the notice shall be delivered to the registered vehicle owner within 30 days after the municipality or county confirms the identity of the owner of the vehicle (rather than 30 days after the Secretary of State notifies the municipality or county of the identity of the owner of the vehicle), but in no event later than 90 days after the violation. Provides that there shall be a rebuttable presumption that a school bus was stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging pupils and the visual signals were in operation on the school bus when recorded images produced by an automated traffic law enforcement system show: (1) an activated stop signal arm; and (2) an electronic indicator indicating activation of school bus visual signals. Provides that the motor vehicle owner is subject to a mandatory civil penalty of $300 (rather than a penalty not exceeding $150) for a first time violation or $1,000 (rather than a penalty not exceeding $500) for a second or subsequent violation.

Declares May of 2026 as Motorcycle Awareness Month. Recognizes the 39 years of ABATE of Illinois, Inc., the more than 300,000 registered motorcyclists statewide, and the continued role that Illinois serves as a leader in motorcycle safety, education, and awareness.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows a public transit agency to use an electronic rearview monitoring system on commercial motor vehicles owned by the agency as an alternative to the mirror requirements of the Code and the Code of Federal Regulations so long as an exemption to the Code of Federal Regulations granted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration remains in effect.

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.

Supports work being done towards the creation of the U.S. Great Lakes Waterfront Trail. Urges Illinois state agencies to continue to coordinate with other states on a shared identity for this regional trail.

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.