SPRINGFIELD — A new law led by State Senator Mike Porfirio will allow local governments to take swift action to solve road safety hazards if certain criteria are met.
“My priority will always be to keep our road roads safe both for drivers and pedestrians, especially in areas of critical need,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “I will always support study-backed solutions to solving road safety issues, but in instances of urgent safety hazards, we need to enable local governments to take quick action to protect residents.”
Porfirio’s law, House Bill 5081, gives local authorities more structured flexibility to set lower speed limits based on safety principles. The law introduces the concept of “target speed” which helps to determine appropriate speed limits based on roadway context and safety. This allows municipalities to calibrate lower, reasonable speed limits in certain areas before a traffic study is completed.
To ensure revenue collected from speed cameras is used properly, the law requires revenues to be reinvested into public safety, infrastructure and community programs.
Previously, the speed limit in an urban district in Illinois was set at 30 miles per hour for all vehicles unless another speed restriction is established. Porfirio’s law gives the opportunity for speed limit reductions without a full engineering study using target speed to determine an appropriate alternative limit.
House Bill 5081 was signed on Friday and takes effect immediately.
