New to IL - Illinois Tollway - Do they clock people by toll payment? (Chicago: how much, live)

[Andrew T.]

Hi everyone. I recently relocated to Chicagoland from Minneapolis for a job opportunity. I'm all set with my I-Pass and IL plates, etc. Today, I noticed a nifty little sign at all of the I-Pass lanes that I haven't seen before - It says something to the effect of: "Motor Vehicles Only - Speed Radar Enforced".

What in the heck does that mean? That has to be about the most vague verbage I've ever heard. I know that there are other states that clock your time between paying tolls to send out violations... But do they REALLY expect me to drive 55 between Lisle and Naperville? Anyone would be squished like a bug if that was the case.

SO, if anyone could shed some light on this interesting little tidbit, that'd be awesome! I want to be sure I don't have a stack of speeding tickets being mailed my way.

Thanks!
-Andrew

[Lud Kissel]

Not Yet!

[Golden Camel]

"Motor Vehicles Only" means no bicycles, pedestrians, scooters, roller skates, Radio Flyer wagons, or other modes of transport that do not employ a motor are allowed on the pavement (unless being transported inside a motorized vehicle).

"Speed Radar Enforced" means that the authorities will employ devices that use radar (a form of radio wave energy) in order to determine whether you are violating the laws limiting the allowable rates of speed on the highway.

So far at least, Illinois has not used toll payment timings to enforce speed laws.

I no longer drive the tollway, but I did it everyday for a couple of decades. It's true nobody really enforces 55 and most cars drive faster. But don't kid yourself, you won't be killed if you drive 55. Keep to the right and let the faster traffic pass you by. If you do this you'll be OK. I'm not saying you have to drive 55 if you don't want to, but saying you will be squished like a bug is just a rationalization for your behavior.

[Andrew T.]

Thank you very much for the clarification. When I saw this sign, the way I read it was:

"Welcome to the Illinois Tollway - HA, guess what, we're clocking the time it takes for you to get from Ogden Ave to Naper Blvd., sucker."

I was booking about 80 today eastbound on the Reagan between Lisle and Downers Grove, and I saw a black Charger behind me and I thought, oh no... Well, I slowed down, and got into the right lane, and so did he. I was pretty sure I was going to get a ticket. Nope. He just exited and went away. My guess is he has better things to do (especially considering most of the other vehicles in the left two lanes were going MUCH faster than I). Upon talking to my friends, they assured me that they have bigger fish to fry, and the posted speed limit of 55 is really more of a formality than anything. I'm not using this to justify driving like a maniac, I'm just being realistic.


With regard to the toll payment timings, that seems like a nasty, nasty way for the state to make a ton of $. I really hope that doesn't go into effect, and I'm greatly relieved to hear that what I was reading on the said sign was NOT how I interpreted it.

Thanks a bunch!

[JacksonPanther]

Every state that uses electronic tolling COULD implement timing between toll booths, and write speeding tickets that way. To my knowledge not a single state has done it. I imagine it would be political suicide for anyone who was in office when such a rule was enacted.

Could you imagine the impact if it was implemented? Either a mass turn-in of IPass devices, or suddenly every car on the tollway creeping along going 55 MPH.

[pvande55]

They don't use ipass for speed enforcement but do for traffic reportin*** Those poles you see with solar panels on top track the travel time.

[TheWayISeeThings]

Originally Posted by Andrew T.

Thank you very much for the clarification. When I saw this sign, the way I read it was:

"Welcome to the Illinois Tollway - HA, guess what, we're clocking the time it takes for you to get from Ogden Ave to Naper Blvd., sucker."

I was booking about 80 today eastbound on the Reagan between Lisle and Downers Grove, and I saw a black Charger behind me and I thought, oh no... Well, I slowed down, and got into the right lane, and so did he. I was pretty sure I was going to get a ticket. Nope. He just exited and went away. My guess is he has better things to do (especially considering most of the other vehicles in the left two lanes were going MUCH faster than I). Upon talking to my friends, they assured me that they have bigger fish to fry, and the posted speed limit of 55 is really more of a formality than anything. I'm not using this to justify driving like a maniac, I'm just being realistic.


With regard to the toll payment timings, that seems like a nasty, nasty way for the state to make a ton of $. I really hope that doesn't go into effect, and I'm greatly relieved to hear that what I was reading on the said sign was NOT how I interpreted it.

Thanks a bunch!

Don't think that you won't get pulled over for doing 80mph. It can and does happen. It happened to me on 355S right by the Ogden exit. I passed on the left at 80mph and was seen by a trooper who was apparently having a bad day. I have a friend who is a state trooper. What they are looking for mostly is the driver who is going significantly faster than everyone else. Lets face it, we often hit 80mph on a good commute day. But everyone in front of us and behind us is also doing 80. No one gets pulled over for that. Now...(The part of TheWayISeeThings will now be played by an entitled executive jerk in a Lexus SUV.) When traffic slows down to 65MPH but I don't feel like slowing down and I begin weaving in an out of lanes and tailgating. Now I'm in danger of a ticket. Alas, where are the police when this happens!!!

By the by, do you know the best thing to say when you are pulled over for speeding? Wait for the officer to tell you your speed. Your reply should be, "Really? I am so sorry. I was not paying close enough attention...its very unlike me to speed that much."

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by Andrew T.

Hi everyone. I recently relocated to Chicagoland from Minneapolis for a job opportunity. I'm all set with my I-Pass and IL plates, etc. Today, I noticed a nifty little sign at all of the I-Pass lanes that I haven't seen before - It says something to the effect of: "Motor Vehicles Only - Speed Radar Enforced".

What in the heck does that mean? That has to be about the most vague verbage I've ever heard. I know that there are other states that clock your time between paying tolls to send out violations... But do they REALLY expect me to drive 55 between Lisle and Naperville? Anyone would be squished like a bug if that was the case.

SO, if anyone could shed some light on this interesting little tidbit, that'd be awesome! I want to be sure I don't have a stack of speeding tickets being mailed my way.

Thanks!
-Andrew

One time I had an I pass in a different vehicle and got a letter from the Illinois Tollway. I guess they must have a lot of time as they realized the plate did not match the vehicle it was registered.


Better not post any ideas to them about clocking speeding cars I am sure all the politicians would be licking their chops at all that revenue from us peasants.
Of course I am sure it wold be swiftly passed into legislation based on safety concerns from the lawful citizens who actually creep along the tollway at the posted speeds.

Exempt from the new law would be politicians from all levels of government.

What a revenue grab bag they are missing out on.....
Matter of time

[myrc60]

Since it was posted at an IPASS lane I'd suggest that it means you go through the lane at the posted speed...there have been accidents, bad accidents in the past at toll booths and they don't want them repeated.

[SuperH]

When I lived in Kansas, the Kansas Turnpike can and did hand out speeding tickets via mail for those who were driving with excess speed.

I'm not talking about 15mph over; I'm talking 30-40mph over. I know people who this has happened to; states can and do time toll booths.

That said... for the Illinois Tollway, there's no way to do this effectively - nor would they want to.

Many ramps do not have toll plazas; they're "free". One such ramp set is ILL Rte. 59 on Reagan. One can get on Reagan at ILL Rte. 59 without paying a toll upon entrance or exit. This is to allow traffic to flow more smoothly.

However, all ramps leading up, and heading from are tolled. By the next opportunity to exit the tollway system on a "free" set of ramps, one would have had to gone through an Open-Road Tolling/ORT/Mainline Toll Plaza.

So... for instance, to time me going eastbound from ILL Rte. 59 - no toll booth to enter Reagan - through to Army Trail Road on Veterans - would be impossible with the current structure. I only go through one toll plaza - they can't subtract A from B because "A" doesn't exist.

They wouldn't want to do this anyway... part of the big incentive for people to use the tollway system is how much faster they often go.

I was in a line of traffic on 294 one Saturday morning doing 94mph in my car - which is a Synergy Green Metallic Camaro SS. Except... that was with the flow of traffic. It was insane that morning. We were also practically bumper to bumper.

Past Alsip, one of District 15's officers were parked on the shoulder LIDARing people. Not one person I saw get a ticket as - all were going with the flow.

Like mentioned earlier - he is just looking for the people who are going faster than 94mph and/or weaving in/out of traffic. Those types of people cause accidents.