SB2237 Summary

• Amends Illinois Highway Code Section 9-113 to require written consent from highway authorities before utilities place ditches, drains, tracks, rails, poles, wires, pipelines, or other equipment on highways or roads.

• Establishes coordination strategies and 5-year programs between state and county highway authorities and utilities, including mandatory coordination councils to be established by January 1, 2002, with a 90-day deadline for utility removal or relocation when ordered.

• Prohibits consent for most installations on non-toll federal-aid fully access-controlled state highways, except allows underground installations and limited above-ground installations on bridges or interchanges with approval.

• Creates new provisions for communications providers (telecommunications carriers, VoIP providers, broadband providers, cable operators) allowing highway use subject to terms and conditions, with damage compensation required based on property ownership and real estate tax payment status.

• Authorizes the state highway authority to charge reasonable compensation for utility use of non-toll federal-aid highways, based on fair market value of easements or leaseholds, reviewable every 5 years, with fees deposited in the Road Fund.