Fitt v. City of Mattoon

574 N.E.2d 1275, 215 Ill. App. 3d 472, 158 Ill. Dec. 882, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 1096
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJune 26, 1991
Docket4-90-0661
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 574 N.E.2d 1275 (Fitt v. City of Mattoon) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fitt v. City of Mattoon, 574 N.E.2d 1275, 215 Ill. App. 3d 472, 158 Ill. Dec. 882, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 1096 (Ill. Ct. App. 1991).

Opinion

JUSTICE McCULLOUGH

delivered the opinion of the court:

Plaintiff’s decedent Duane Fitt died in an automobile accident on September 9, 1988, at the intersection of Illinois Route 45 and County Road 400 in Mattoon, Illinois. Plaintiff Dwight Fitt filed an action against defendants City of Mattoon (City) and County of Coles (County), alleging, inter alia, their negligent maintenance and control of the intersection caused the death of Duane Fitt. The trial court entered summary judgment for defendants, finding the defendants owed no duty to plaintiff’s decedent and the proximate cause of the accident was the negligence of a third party. Plaintiff appeals the summary judgment orders. We affirm.

The following facts are undisputed. Illinois Route 45 is a four-lane highway with two northbound lanes and two southbound lanes separated by a median strip. This road intersects in the City with County Road 400, a two-lane road extending in an east-west direction. County Road 400 is regulated by stop signs erected in traffic islands situated on the east and west edges of Route 45 where it intersects County Road 400. The stop signs were originally erected by the State in the 1960’s and have since then been maintained by the State and under State control. County Road 400 to the east of Route 45 is under the control and jurisdiction of the County and County Road 400 to the west of Route 45 is maintained by the City.

On September 9, 1988, Wilbur Smith was traveling in an easterly direction on County Road 400 in a half-ton pickup. The weather was clear and the roads were dry. Smith stopped at the stop sign at the intersection of Route 45 for approximately 15 seconds, looked for other traffic on Route 45, and saw one yellow car traveling south in the westernmost lane of Route 45 with its right turn signal activated to turn west at the intersection. Smith began to cross the southbound lanes of Route 45 before the yellow car completed its right turn. Smith was halfway across the inside passing lane of the southbound lanes when plaintiff’s decedent’s motorcycle struck the driver’s side of the pickup near the back wheels. Smith stated he never saw the motorcycle or heard any squealing before the impact.

In his complaint, plaintiff alleged defendants (1) possessed, operated, managed, maintained, or controlled the traffic control signage and devices at the intersection, including the signage on County Road 400; (2) knew the traffic control devices provided at the intersection were inadequate and improper for providing safe movement of traffic; and (3) were negligent in (a) failing to maintain or inspect the intersection, (b) allowing the intersection to become dangerous due to inadequate traffic control signs, (c) failing to provide adequate traffic control devices at the intersection, and (d) failing to warn of the existence of unsafe and dangerous conditions at the intersection. Further, plaintiff alleged the accident was a direct and proximate result of defendants’ acts and failures to act.

Each defendant filed a motion for summary judgment contending it was undisputed that each had no duty to control or manage traffic control devices at the intersection which were exclusively controlled and maintained by the State. Further, the defendants asserted the evidence established, as a matter of law, that the proximate cause of the accident was the negligence of Wilbur Smith. In support of their motions, defendants presented the deposition testimony of various State, County, and City officials familiar with the management and control of the intersection of Route 45 and County Road 400.

Murray Walker, the street superintendent for the City, testified the intersection of Route 45 and County Road 400 is within the city limits of Mattoon. Walker stated the city council and police department have jurisdiction over the replacement and maintenance of traffic control devices within the city limits but the City does not perform any such work at the intersection. Walker stated the State was responsible for the placement and regulation of the traffic devices on Route 45 and either the County or the Township of Mattoon or Paradise was responsible for traffic signs on County Road 400. Walker stated the City and State police as well as the county sheriff could issue tickets in the intersection. Walker stated the City had the responsibility for maintaining the surface of the roads at the intersection but not the traffic signs. Walker admitted the intersection was safer after traffic lights were installed after this accident and also that the City entered into an agreement in November 1988 with the State to maintain the lights and the intersection. Walker stated the agreement provided the City was responsible for repairing the lights, with the bill for any repair going to the State. Before the agreement, the City had no responsibility for maintenance of the traffic signs at the intersection. Walker assumed the State installed the stop sign which was at the intersection at the time of the accident.

Randall Malone, superintendent of highways for the County, testified the intersection was within the county limit and County Road 400 to the east of Route 45 is a county road while to the west it is a City road. Regarding County Road 400, one mile to the west of Route 45, but excluding the intersection, the City or Township of Mattoon is responsible for the erection and placement of signs. Malone stated he was the person who decided whether to erect or maintain traffic control signs and devices on county roads in the County. While County Road 400 to the east of Route 45 is a county road, according to State policies, it is not a county road within the county system up to the point where it meets and intersects with Route 45. Malone viewed an exhibit displaying the intersection of Route 45 and County Road 400 and concluded the areas on County Road 400 including the final approach on this road to Route 45 to the east and west were maintained by the State, not the local authorities, as was the very center of the intersection of the two roads. The State’s maintenance responsibilities in these areas included erection of traffic signs. Within these areas, the County was prohibited from putting up signs but could change the road surface with the State’s permission. Beyond the areas on County Road 400 to the east and west which were maintained by the State, the County could put up signs which would be for County purposes, such as a curve sign to the east or a stop sign for the frontage road. Malone stated the area of the intersection maintained by the State is State property and the County needs the State’s permission to erect any signs. The State is responsible for erecting signs protecting State roadways and these signs include stop signs, traffic lights, and “stop ahead” signs. Malone stated the County entered into an agreement with the State after the traffic lights were put at the intersection but this agreement was different from the agreement regarding general maintenance in effect previously.

Carroll Thomas Dunn, chief of the Bureau of Traffic (Bureau) for the Illinois Department of Transportation, testified the County maintains County Road 400, also known as highway 19, to the east of the intersection with Route 45 and the City maintains the road to the west. Dunn stated “maintenance” includes only signs in advance of the stop sign at Route 45. Dunn stated the State maintains Route 45 including where it intersects with County Road 400.

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Bluebook (online)
574 N.E.2d 1275, 215 Ill. App. 3d 472, 158 Ill. Dec. 882, 1991 Ill. App. LEXIS 1096, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fitt-v-city-of-mattoon-illappct-1991.