The Illinois Senate Transportation Committee has advanced legislation filed by State Sen. Sam McCann (R-Plainview) to help local road authorities add safety markings to dangerous roads.
“The marking and striping of roads is obviously a safety issue, and federal and state project funds are supposed to make roads safer,” said Sen. McCann. “This bill just allows those dollars to be used for striping dangerous, unstriped roads.”
Under current law, only proceeds from motor fuel taxes can be used to pay for road striping. The amount of fuel tax proceeds going to local road authorities is diminishing, reducing the amount of striping work that can be done. Meanwhile, state project dollars and federal pass-through funds can’t be used for those projects.
McCann’s Senate Bill 2267 would allow those state and federal funds to be used, with the approval of IDOT, to pay for striping projects on roads where striping did not previously exist.
“We have lots of road authorities that don’t have enough motor fuel tax funding to pay for their striping projects, yet they have state project funds or federal pass-through dollars that could be paying for the work,” said Sen. McCann. “It just makes sense to let local road authorities work with the state to improve the safety and visibility of their roads.”
The legislation was inspired by community feedback following the death of Lynn Jason Turner in a car accident near White Hall. The accident occurred when Turner’s vehicle crossed into the opposite lane on an unstriped road in heavy fog.
“If drivers can’t see where the road and its lanes begin and end due to bad weather, you have a dangerous situation,” said Sen. McCann. “This proposal cuts red tape and improves public safety at no additional cost, which is a win-win-win for everyone.”
The legislation passed Transportation Committee with unanimous support and is now headed to the full chamber for a vote there.
