Operating Hours, Restricted Travel, and Holiday Restrictions
In Illinois, the operating time for permit loads up to 14 feet 6 inches wide, 15 feet high, 145 feet long, and 120,000 pounds (or 100,000 pounds on 5 axles) is seven days of the week, a half-hour before sunrise until a half-hour after sunset.
For any loads exceeding these dimensions, they can drive a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset on weekdays (Monday through Friday). They can also drive a half-hour before dawn on Saturday until noon.
If all other dimensions are legal (width, length, height), overweight loads can have continuous travel.
There are limitations for permit loads on Expressways in Cook County. They can be a maximum of 120,000 pounds and 12 feet wide, and/or 13 feet 6 inches. General Provisions B lists the special restrictions that apply to Cook County.
Loads between 14 feet and 6 inches wide and 16 feet wide are limited to 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM on Monday through Friday in these counties: Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, Madison, McHenry, Monroe, St. Clair, and Will. In addition, there may be further restrictions for loads greater than 16 feet wide.
No travel is allowed on major holidays and holiday weekends, starting at noon the day before a holiday.
For toll roads in Illinois, the maximum width is 10 feet. The exception is 12 feet width on sections that carry I-80 (near Indiana) and US51 (near Wisconsin). For gross weight, a load that is 80,001 to 104,000 costs $35.00. It is about $150.00 for a gross weight that is 104,001- 120,000.
That, 120,000 pounds gross weight, is the maximum limit. Any length greater than 100 feet on the toll roads needs prior approval and a special permit. And finally, for height, anything over 13 feet 6 inches is an extra $15.00 fee. It cannot be higher than 14 feet 6 inches, however.
Signs, Flags, and Lights Requirements
Signs, flags, and lights may be required for your oversized or superload-sized travel. This is for the safety of others on the road and must be followed.
Signs
For loads over 10 feet wide, 14 feet 6 inches high, and/or 75 feet long, signs stating “Oversize Load” are required.
Flags
Every oversize vehicle, load, and protruding object is required to have flags. They must be placed on the extremities.
Lights
Every oversized and overweight permitted load is required to display operable amber lights that are oscillating, rotating, or flashing. While the size is not specific, they must be visible from 500 feet even in the daytime on both the front and the back. If the light is not visible from the rear because it is blocked, the load is 80 feet long, or combined over 100 feet long; a second light must be mounted. This light should be mounted 10 feet from the rear of the object, high and visible.
Obtaining a permit
Single trip oversize/overweight permits are valid for five days. Other types include round trips and limited continuous operation legal weight permits. The limited continuous legal weight permits can be annual/quarterly construction equipment (including stackable), annual/quarterly trusses, annual/quarterly manufactured housing/storage buildings, annual/quarterly stackable manufactured home frames.
Limited continuous operation overweight permits include annual/quarterly oversize/overweight, agricultural commodities (40 days), annual movement to derailment sites, annual/quarterly movement from disablement sites, annual/quarterly extreme heavy-duty tow and recovery, and semi-annual repeated crossing of state-maintained roads.
To obtain permits, contact the Illinois oversize/overweight permit by visiting in person, calling (Springfield/out of state) 217-785-1477 or (Illinois number but outside of Springfield) 800-252-6836 , or emailing dot.permitoffice@illinois.gov.
In-person visits can be made at:
Illinois Department of Transportation, Bureau of Operations, Permit Office
2300 South Dirksen Parkway
Springfield, Illinois 62764
