A bill has been sent to Illinois Governor Pat Quinn that would raise the state’s speed limit on rural interstate highways to 70 mph from the current 65 mph.<\/p>\n
Supporters of the change said that an increase in the speed limit would be a boon for the trucking industry and would bring Illinois in line with nearby states, but opponents said that the change would result in more traffic fatalities.<\/p>\n
According to Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, a Jacksonville Republican, some drivers traveling south from Chicago avoid driving through Illinois because the lower speed limit increases travel time. Davidsmeyer said this results in the state missing out on revenue from motorists’ gas and food purchases.<\/p>\n
However, House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, a Chicago Democrat, said that both the state police and the Illinois Department of Transportation opposed the bill because the higher speed limit would endanger drivers’ lives. Rep. Deb Mell, also a Chicago Democrat, (more…)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A bill has been sent to Illinois Governor Pat Quinn that would raise the state’s speed limit on rural interstate highways to 70 mph from the current 65 mph. Supporters of the change said that an increase in the speed…<\/span><\/p>\n