Transportation

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.

Creates the Passenger Rail Planning Act. Sets forth intercity passenger rail routes serving or originating in the State. Requires the Department of Transportation to incorporate the aspirational frequencies into the Illinois State Rail Plan and the Long-Range Statewide Transportation Plan. Authorizes the Department to nominate corridors for inclusion in the Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor Identification and Development Program and enter into memoranda of understanding or other cooperative agreements for each identified interstate corridor to provide for shared data, joint investment prioritization, and aligned performance measures and planning schedules. Requires the Department to include a recurring section titled Progress Toward High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail within each update to the Illinois State Rail Plan and Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. Requires each Metropolitan Planning Organization in the State to: (1) recognize the target intercity and long-distance passenger rail frequencies; (2) identify relevant rail corridors within or adjacent to the Metropolitan Planning Organization planning area; and (3) include a narrative discussion of how regional transportation investments can support achievement of those frequency targets. Requires the Department and each Metropolitan Planning Organization to consider progress toward the target passenger rail frequencies when developing project prioritization criteria for multimodal investments. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.

Bill AM 1040198 nominates Arnaldo Rivera for a position. If approved, Mr. Rivera would be appointed as a Member and Chair of the Illinois State Highway Authority.

Declares April 2026 as Distracted Driving Awareness Month in the State of Illinois. Urges the citizens and businesses of the State of Illinois to observe Distracted Driving Awareness Month by practicing safe driving behaviors and pledging to drive distraction-free.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person operating a bicycle on the roadways of this State shall not be prohibited from side-by-side riding, riding contraflow on one-way streets, and rolling through stop signs at clear intersections.

SJR 39 is a joint resolution urging the United States Congress to pass legislation. Its purpose is to create a new national infrastructure bank. This bank would be established to finance urgently needed infrastructure projects across the nation.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires, by August 1 of each calendar year, the Department of Transportation to make a report in writing to the Governor and the General Assembly, stating in detail the Department's efforts in the prior fiscal year to fill open mechanics positions. Requires the Department to establish and maintain a goal of filling at least 85% of all authorized and budgeted mechanic positions within the Department in each fiscal year. Requires the General Assembly to review the report and may request additional information or hold hearings regarding the Department's staffing levels, recruitment strategies, and efforts to meet the 85% workforce goal.

Expresses support for the Southwest Connector Coalition's efforts to keep its expansion project moving forward and encourages its members to remain engaged in their efforts to improve Illinois.

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.