The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors agreed to seek an administrative rule change needed to increase speed limits on segments of I-294, I-88 and I-355 corridors. The Tollway’s Traffic Engineer has been conducting extensive engineering and traffic studies on major portions of the 286-mile roadway system to determine where speed limits potentially could increase.
Based on prior state legislation, speed limits increased to 70 mph on the I-90 corridor west of the I-39 interchange in Winnebago County and on the western portion of I-88 in DeKalb, Ogle and Lee Counties. Speed limits on the portions of I-90 not previously studied will be reviewed once sufficient data on the newly reconstructed sections has been collected.
The Illinois Vehicle Code Section 603 outlines the process the Tollway is required to follow in order to raise its maximum speed limits. The Tollway must conduct an engineering and traffic investigation and if a safe and reasonable increase is warranted, the Tollway must obtain approval from its Board of Directors, concurrence from the Illinois Department of Transportation, and the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR). If JCAR approves the changes in the speed limit, the Illinois Secretary of State publishes the updated administrative rule and new speed limits can be posted.
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