Union County issued the following announcement on Mar. 3.
The Union County Board of Commissioners appreciates and recognizes the request from citizens supporting usage of ATV’s on County Roads. This has been an annual topic for many years. While at first glance this sounds like a great idea, the Union County Board of Commissioners would like to explain what must transpire per Illinois state statute for such an ordinance to be passed.
Per Illinois Statute 65ILCS 5/11-1426.1(d), before permitting the operation of non-highway vehicles on roadways, the County must consider the volume, speed, and character of traffic on the roadway and determine whether non-highway vehicles may safely travel on or cross the roadway and appropriate signage shall be posted. In addition, per subsection b of this statute, if an ordinance is permitted for non-highway vehicle usage on the roadway, the posted speed limit must be 35 miles per hour or less.
Based on these current statutes mentioned above, prior to approving an ordinance allowing ATVs on County roads, the County would have to:
1) Conduct a speed study to determine the average speed and volume on each County road. The study would have to justify it is safe to reduce the speed limit and public safety will not be jeopardized;
2) Change the speed limit on the permitted roads to 35 miles per hour; and
3) Appropriate signage must be posted. The County’s estimate for signs, poles and hardware alone is approximately $180,000. This estimate does not include labor costs to install the signs.
In addition, the insurance carrier for the County was contacted and strongly advised not to approve any such ordinance unless all conditions in the statute were met. The insurance company also advised even if all conditions were met, the County’s liability risk would increase by allowing vehicles not built for on road use to occupy County roadways. It is also a concern, if all state laws are not followed, the liability risks could fall entirely on the finances of Union County.
After taking everything under consideration, the majority of the Union County Board of Commissioners do not feel the changes are in the best interest of the citizens of Union County. If the requirements in the Illinois state statutes are changed, the Union County Board of Commissioners would be happy to reconsider this matter.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Union County
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