Highway Department

DeWitt County has adopted rural road names in conjunction with a grid system to identify locations in the unincorporated areas of the county. The grid system is based upon increasing multiples of 1,000 for each section of land (typically a square mile) north of the south county line and east of the west county line. The grid distance and the road name are combined to form the rural address.

Please click here for a map

The jurisdiction and maintenance of public roads can be confusing. A unit of government who has jurisdiction over a public road or a segment of a public road has the authority and obligation to administer, control, construct, maintain and operate that road or segment of road. The units of government with jurisdiction comprising all of the public roads in the unincorporated areas of DeWitt County are the State of Illinois, the County of DeWitt and the 13 Township Road Districts in DeWitt County.

Please click here for a map to determine the jurisdiction of a road or segment of road. You'll find in the legend of the map how highways under the jurisdiction of the State of Illinois are identified as either U.S. Routes, IL Routes or Interstate Routes. You'll also find how highways under the jurisdiction of the County of DeWitt are identified as County Highways. You will not find identification for the township roads shown on the map as those roads consist of all highways lying outside the corporate limits of municipalities that are not state or county. Once you have determined the jurisdiction please contact the proper highway authority.

You can reach IDOT at (217) 465-4181, the DeWitt County Highway Department at (217) 935-2438 or you may contact your township highway commissioners at their contact information listed here. 

Public roads in Illinois are classified by the size and weight of vehicles that are allowed to travel upon them without a permit from the highway authority. The size classification and the maximum legal vehicle weight limit that can operate upon a road or segment of road may be established by the highway authority having jurisdiction over the road or segment of road in accordance with state statutes. Signs erected on the road or segment of road display the classification and/or weight limits that have been established. A permit from the proper highway authority is required to operate a vehicle in excess of the size or weight limits posted.

In addition to establishing the size and weight of vehicles that are allowed to travel upon roads or segments of roads year round without a permit, a highway authority may also prohibit vehicles or establish vehicle weight restrictions for a period not to exceed 90 days to reduce the potential for damage or deterioration due to climatic conditions. This seasonal posting is widely used throughout Illinois during late winter and early spring when the frozen ground is thawing leaving roads soft and prone to damage.

The size classification and the maximum legal vehicle weight limit that can operate upon any road that is not posted otherwise is governed by state statute. For decades, the statute spelled out a state formula for vehicle gross weight that consisted of combinations of number of axles, axle weights and axle spacings which culminated in the heaviest allowable vehicle load being 73,280 pounds for a 5-axle semi-tractor trailer combination. The state statute was changed in 2009 and effective January 1, 2010 the state formula was replaced with a federal formula that consists of combinations of axles, axle weights and axle spacings which culminate in the heaviest allowable vehicle load being 80,000 pounds for either a 5-axle or 6-axle semi-tractor trailer combination. A permit from the proper highway authority is required to operate a vehicle in excess of the statutory size or statutory gross vehicle weight limits for specified combinations of axle weights and axle spacings on roads that are not otherwise posted.

Many county highways and township roads in DeWitt County are not posted and are therefore governed by the statutory limits year round. Many others are posted for seasonal weight limitations and some are posted for year round weight limitations. The map of weight limits on DeWitt County Highways may be viewed by clicking here. You will see that the DeWitt County Highways shown in red are posted seasonally and they are also posted year round. The seasonal posting on those DeWitt County Highways is a maximum legal weight limit of 4 Tons per Axle from February 1 to April 30 every year. The year round posting on those DeWitt County Highways is the state formula for vehicle gross weight as it existed prior to the legislative changes that took place in 2009 that consisted of combinations of axles, axle weights and axle spacings which culminated in the heaviest allowable vehicle load being 73,280 pounds for a 5-axle semi-tractor trailer combination as you can see in the 73,280 pound table by clicking here. You can click here to see the combination of signs used for the seasonal posting and year round posting. These signs are erected at each end of each posted county highway. You will also see that the remaining DeWitt County Highways shown in blue are limited to 80,000 pound maximum either by posting or by state statute. In either case the weight limitation is governed by combinations of axles, axle weights and axle spacings which culminate in the heaviest allowable vehicle load being 80,000 pounds for either a 5-axle or 6-axle semi-tractor trailer combination which you can see in the 80,000 pound table by clicking here. The posted 80,000 pound DeWitt County Highways include a classification which establishes limitations on the vehicle dimensions whereas state statutes govern the vehicle dimensions on those 80,000 pound DeWitt County Highways that are not posted.

A permit issued by the DeWitt County Engineer is required for any vehicle to operate on a DeWitt County Highway in excess of the statutory limitations or posted limitations, as applicable. You can see a sample form by clicking here. The information contained in the sample completed form is necessary in order for the County Engineer to determine whether it is appropriate to issue a permit.

Closed Bridges, Posted Bridges and Legal Load Only Bridges  

Bridges Closed to Traffic

Bridges Closed to Traffic are those structures that the Illinois Department of Transportation has determined cannot safely carry any traffic. Below is a table of information on Structures Closed to Traffic on the County, Township and Municipal system of roads in DeWitt County.

 

Posted Bridges

Posted Bridges are those structures that the Illinois Department of Transportation has determined cannot safely withstand the routine traffic of the weight limits permissible by statute on the road it serves and must have signs erected regulating traffic to a lower weight limit such that the structure can safely withstand such traffic. Permits will not be issued for vehicles to cross these structures above the posted weight limits. Below is a table of information on the posted bridges on the County, Township and Municipal system of roads in DeWitt County.

Links

• Federal Highway Administration
• Illinois Department of Transportation
• Illinois Association of County Engineers
• Illinois Farm Bureau: Truck & Trailer Size and Weight
• Iowa DOT - Agricultural Equipment Impact on Roads: http://www.iowadot.gov/agequip.pdf
• Illinois State Water Survey - Soil Temperatures
• IACE - State Motor Fuel Tax Facts
• IACE - State Motor Fuel Tax Distribution Flowchart:
• IACE - Transportation Bulletin