Speed limits on Illinois tollways will not increase from 65 mph to 70 mph. Citing safety concerns and the tendency for Illinois’ drivers to exceed the speed limit by 15 mph or more, Governor Quinn noted “the convenience of increased speeds for drivers on Illinois tollways does not outweigh the safety risks to children, families and our dedicated public servants.” Interestingly, last year Quinn signed a bill raising the speed limit to 70 mph on rural interstates, finding that doing so brought “Illinois’ rural interstate speed limits in line with our neighbors’ and the majority of states across America, while preventing an increase in excessive speeding.”

With this recent rejection of increased speed limits, it is a good time to remind our readers of general speed restrictions which can be found in 625 ILCS 5/11-601.

Unless otherwise posted, the maximum speed in an urban area for all vehicles is 30 mph and 15 miles per hour in an alley. The Illinois legislature defined urban area as any incorporated or unincorporated area developed primarily for residential and/or business purposes.” The maximum speed in a non-urban area is 65 miles per hour for all highways operated by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority and for all highways that have at least 4 lanes of traffic. The speed limit is 55 mph for all other highways, roads, and streets.

Remember Julie’s Law! Julie’s law prohibited judges from ordering court supervision for drivers issued tickets for traveling 25 mph over the speed limit in an urban district, or 30 mph over the speed limit in a rural area. Click here to check out our previous blog post discussing Julie’s Law.

Be extra cautious when traveling through school and park zones, as well as highway construction areas. If you have any questions regarding Julie’s Law, a traffic citation, or any other criminal defense matter, give us a call at LauraLaw!