(605 ILCS 30/0.01)

(from Ch. 121, par. 600)

Sec. 0.01.

Short title.

This Act may be cited as the

Bikeway Act.

(Source: P.A. 86‑1324.)

(605 ILCS 30/1)

(from Ch. 121, par. 601)

Sec. 1.

Legislative declarations and findings.

The General Assembly declares that since a third of the population owns bicycles, there is an urgent need for safe bikeways, for the use of both children and adults for transportation, healthy exercise and recreation.

The General Assembly finds that to coordinate plans for bikeways most effectively with those of the State and local governments as they affect roads, streets, schools, parks, and other publicly owned lands, lands not owned by a municipality, local unit of government, county, or the State of Illinois or one of its agencies or authorities by agreement, abandoned roadbeds and conservation areas, while maximizing the benefits from the use of tax dollars, a single State agency, eligible to receive federal matching funds, should be designated to establish and maintain a State‑wide bikeways program.

(Source: P.A. 88‑676, eff. 12‑14‑94.)

(605 ILCS 30/2)

(from Ch. 121, par. 602)

Sec. 2.

Responsible agency; bikeways program; use of funds.

(a) The Department of Transportation of the State of Illinois, referred to in this Act as "the Department", is designated as the State agency responsible for developing and coordinating a State‑wide bikeways program and shall officially designate bikeways throughout the State.

For purposes of this Act, "bikeways program" includes, but is not limited to: surveys, safety measures, demonstration projects, research, education, proposed legislation, utilization of existing streets and walkways, provision of bicycle paths to and from schools affording a minimum of hazard from automobiles, provision of comfort stations and weather shelters, provision of facilities in connection with commuter railroads to facilitate the use of bicycles by commuters in traveling to and from the railroad stations, and promulgation of standards, security measures and regulations for the registration and use of bicycles.

The Department and, with the Department's approval, the county board of any county or the corporate authorities of any municipality, conservation district, park district, or forest preserve district are hereby authorized to expend funds appropriated for purposes of this Act to acquire right‑of‑way, plan, locate, relocate, construct, reconstruct, maintain, alter, improve, vacate, and regulate the use of officially designated bikeways. For purposes of this Act a bikeway may be (1) a shared facility whereby both vehicles and bicycles may operate on the through lanes, parking lanes or shoulders of a street or highway, (2) a pathway on a street or highway right‑of‑way, on public land other than a street or highway right‑of‑way, or on lands not owned by a municipality, local unit of government, county, or the State of Illinois or one of its agencies or authorities by agreement with the owner for a minimum duration of 20 years. Property interests acquired for projects constructed under the terms of this Act shall not restrict the access, use or enjoyment of the bikeways by the public consistent with regulation by the agency of government with jurisdiction over each bikeway and shall protect the public investment for the useful life of the bikeways.

(b) Notwithstanding the requirement of paragraph 2(a) that any agreement for the acquisition of a property interest in lands not owned by a municipality, local unit of government, county, or the State of Illinois or one of its agencies or authorities shall be for a duration of not less than 20 years, the county board of a county with a population over 500,000 may also enter into agreements with a minimum duration of 5 years with any public utility or railroad for the use of any right‑of‑way of that public utility in excess of 60 feet in width or railroad right‑of‑way in the county as a bikeway. The county board shall have the authority to proceed under the terms of any such agreement for the construction and maintenance of the bikeway and shall have the authority to treat the construction and maintenance as it would for construction and maintenance of county highways including the use of any funds toward the bikeway construction and maintenance that are generally available for the construction and maintenance of county highways. The bikeway construction and maintenance shall be supervised by the county engineer. The county board has the authority to adopt an ordinance to regulate the use of the bikeways. Bikeways to be funded by the county may include segments in the railroad or utility corridor that otherwise meet the criteria of subsection (a) of this Section. Any bikeway constructed by a county under this subsection under an agreement with a public utility or railroad with a duration of less than 20 years shall not receive any support with funds appropriated to the Department.

(Source: P.A. 88‑502; 88‑676, eff. 12‑14‑94.)

(605 ILCS 30/3)

(from Ch. 121, par. 603)

Sec. 3.

The annual appropriation to the Department for purposes of this Act shall include funds for the development of bicycle paths and a State‑wide bikeways program in this State. In addition, the Department may accept and expend federal funds granted for bikeway purposes.

(Source: P. A. 78‑850.)

(605 ILCS 30/4)

(from Ch. 121, par. 604)

Sec. 4.

In expending funds available for purposes of this Act, the Department shall cooperate with municipalities, townships, counties, road districts, park districts and other appropriate agencies and organizations and, where possible and practicable, shall allocate its expenditures among the several regions of the State, proportionally to the bicycling population.

The Secretary of Transportation shall serve as chairman of and shall at least quarterly convene an interagency council on the bikeways program, comprised of the Director of Natural Resources, the Director of Commerce and Community Affairs, the State Superintendent of Education, a county engineer or county superintendent of highways chosen by the statewide association of county engineers, a representative of the Cook County Forest Preserve District, and the Secretary of Transportation, for the purpose of determining policy and priorities in effectuating the purposes of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 89‑337, eff. 1‑1‑96; 89‑445, eff. 2‑7‑96.)