Legislation that would have ended split speed limits in Illinois has died.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Assn., which lobbies against split speed limits, reports that despite clearing the Transportation Committee with little opposition, House Bill 5912 was voted down by a 46 to 72 margin April 3.
The bill, supported by downstate Republicans, would have raised the speed limit on some Illinois interstates to 65 mph for trucks, up from the current 55. Supporters said they want a uniform speed limit statewide to help smooth traffic flow.
One House member who voted against the measure, Democratic Rep. Jeffrey Schoenberg, told the Chicago Daily Herald, "My opposition was grounded in the many tragedies that have resulted from trucks going too fast."
Woody Chambers, OOIDA director from the Chicago area, blames the defeat on election-year politics. "These folks (lawmakers) would rather do anything to avoid taking a position that could be considered in any way controversial."
Chambers says truckers need to know how their elected representatives voted
on this critical issue. "I hope other Illinois truckers talk to their state representatives about their votes, because we're the ones who will be voting in November."
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