§ 10-602

Every municipality has the power: (1) To construct, or acquire by purchase, lease, gift, or condemnation in the manner provided for the exercise of the right of eminent domain under the Eminent Domain Act, ferries and bridges, the necessary land therefor, and the approaches thereto, whenever the ferry, bridge, land, or approaches are within the corporate limits, or within 5 miles of the corporate limits of the municipality, and also to maintain the specified property; (2) To construct and maintain highways within 5 miles of the corporate limits of the municipality connecting with either end of such a bridge or ferry; (3) To construct or acquire by purchase, lease, gift, or condemnation in the manner provided for the exercise of the right of eminent domain under the Eminent Domain Act, ferries and bridges, the necessary land therefor, and the approaches thereto, within 5 miles of the corporate limits of the municipality, over any river forming a boundary of the State of Illinois, and also to maintain the specified property; (4) To donate money to aid the road districts in which is situated any ferry, bridge, or highway connecting therewith, specified in this section, in constructing, or improving the same, and to issue the bonds of the municipality for that purpose. All such ferries, bridges, and highways shall be free to the public and no toll shall ever be collected by the municipality except that: (1) Tolls may be collected for transit over and use of bridges defined in Section 10-801, as provided for in Sections 10-802 and 10-805. (2) Any municipality which, within the provisions of this section, bears the principal expense and becomes indebted for any ferry, bridge, or the approach thereto, over any river forming a boundary of the State of Illinois, may collect a reasonable toll, for the use thereof, to be set apart and appropriated to the payment of that indebtedness, the interest thereon, and the expense of maintenance of that bridge, ferry, and approach thereto, but for no other purpose; (3) Where any municipality is the owner of any toll bridges or ferries which it is keeping up and maintaining by authority of law, all ownership and rights vested in the municipality shall continue and be held and exercised by it, and the municipality from time to time may fix the rates of toll on those bridges and ferries; and (4) In all cases where, after July 1, 1881, a bridge has been constructed, or a ferry has been acquired across a navigable stream, by any municipality in whole or in part, and where the population of the municipality furnishing the principal part of the expense thereof did not exceed 5,000, and where it is necessary to maintain a draw and lights, and where a debt was incurred by the municipality for these purposes, a reasonable toll may be collected by the municipality contracting the indebtedness. This toll shall be set apart and appropriated to the payment of that indebtedness, the interest thereon, and the expense of keeping the bridge in repair and of maintaining, opening, and closing the draws and lights, or, in case of a ferry, keeping the approaches and boat in repair and for operating the ferry. (5) The General Assembly finds that electronic toll collection systems in Illinois should be standardized to promote safety, efficiency, and traveler convenience. If electronic toll collection is used on such bridge or ferry, the municipality shall configure the electronic toll collection system to be compatible with the electronic toll collection system used by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. The municipality may enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority to provide for such compatibility or to have the Authority provide electronic toll collection or toll violation enforcement services.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 97-252, eff. 8-4-11.)