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HB 4759

GREEN LIGHT FOR BUSES

104th Regular Session Introduced by Theresa Mah

Establishes a regional Transit Signal Priority program and committee to boost bus efficiency by upgrading traffic signals, with a final report and integration into IDOT plans.

House Floor Amendment No. 1 Rule 19(c) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 4759

Summary of HB4759 (104th IL General Assembly) – Green Light for Buses

-footnote: This is an introduced/active bill in Illinois that establishes a regional program to improve transit efficiency through traffic signal infrastructure and Transit Signal Priority (TSP).

1) Purpose and Intent

  • Create the Green Light for Buses Act to improve public transit efficiency and reliability by enhancing traffic signal infrastructure in a metropolitan region.
  • Establish a formal advisory committee to study and promote strategies that increase transit travel-time reliability without increasing overall vehicle traffic capacity.
  • Integrate findings into the Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) Public Transportation Plan.

2) Key Provisions and Changes

A. Establishment and Role of the Committee

  • Creates the Committee on Efficient Arterial Signal Infrastructure (the Committee).
  • Purpose: Advise IDOT on strategies to improve public transit efficiency and reliability via roadway signal infrastructure improvements.
  • Tasks include:
    • Inventory and review current traffic signalization and central signal systems, including interoperability among equipment, transit vehicles, and communications.
    • Develop strategies to expand Transit Signal Priority (TSP) and related signal operations to improve capacity and travel-time reliability for transit.
    • Recommend practices for coordinated or regionalized signal operations, data standards, interoperability, and procurement best practices.
    • Propose technical assistance for local governments and transit operators implementing Committee recommendations.
    • Estimate costs, economic impacts, and anticipated traffic changes related to Committee recommendations.
    • Identify opportunities to align IDOT funding programs and grants with measurable improvements in traffic capacity.
    • Submit recommendations for inclusion in IDOT’s Public Transportation Plan, including any needed legislative or administrative changes.
  • Reporting obligations: Publish a comprehensive report within 2 years of the Act’s effective date; IDOT to post the report publicly, and incorporate recommendations into the next annual Public Transportation Plan.

B. Membership and Governance

  • Members (appointed by the Secretary) include a broad mix of state, regional, and local stakeholders:
    • Secretary (Chair) and senior IDOT engineers/offices representatives (Finance, Highways, Intermodal, Urban Planning).
    • Representatives from transit authorities and agencies: Northern Illinois Transit Authority, Chicago Transit Authority, Suburban Bus Division, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Chicago Department of Transportation, Cook County DOT/HWY, DuPage County DOT, and one or more officials from Lake, Will, Kane, McHenry counties (as applicable).
    • Additional members as needed for expertise, representation, and geographic diversity.
  • Members serve without compensation; allowed to be reimbursed for necessary expenses per state travel rules, subject to appropriation.
  • The Chair may dissolve the Committee after the report is published.
  • Committee operates under Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act.

C. Implementation Authority and Transit Signal Priority (TSP)

  • Section 15 authorizes the Department, under the Secretary’s supervision, to empower the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) to establish and administer a transit signal priority program in the metropolitan region.

    • NITA may fund, procure equipment/services, and enter intergovernmental agreements to plan, design, implement, operate, and maintain TSP and related signal infrastructure.
    • Any TSP must comply with the Illinois Vehicle Code, the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, and federal requirements; must not compromise emergency vehicle preemption, railroad preemption, or other safety-critical operations.
    • Department approval and permitting are required for IDOT-jurisdiction highways; local government implementations require intergovernmental agreements.
    • Local governments cannot unreasonably withhold agreement for TSP projects funded by NITA or IDOT if consistent with the subsection.

  • IDOT-funded projects involving traffic signals on corridors serving fixed-route bus service must evaluate feasibility and cost-effectiveness of TSP accommodations.

    • If feasible and compliant with safety standards, IDOT shall incorporate TSP features into project designs.
    • No obligation to fund or install onboard equipment on vehicles or to implement TSP where conflicts with safety/traffic standards exist.

3) Affected Parties and Scope

  • State agencies: Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Governor/General Assembly (through reporting).
  • Transit entities: Northern Illinois Transit Authority, Chicago Transit Authority, Suburban Bus Division, and other regional transit stakeholders.
  • Local governments and counties within the metropolitan region (as potential partners/adopters of TSP and signal upgrades).
  • General public: Impact on traffic signal operations and transit travel times; improved reliability for bus service.

4) Timelines and Sunset

  • Report from the Committee: Due no later than 2 years after the Act’s effective date.
  • Follow-up: IDOT to post the report and incorporate recommendations into the annual Public Transportation Plan.
  • Repeal: The Act (including its provisions) is repealed 10 years after its effective date, subject to ongoing operations of projects installed before repeal under other laws.
  • Effective date: The Act takes effect upon becoming law.

5) Procedural Notes

  • The Committee is subject to public-meetings laws and FOIA.
  • Administration and some procurement powers are contingent on appropriation and applicable procurement law.
  • The Act contemplates potential additional legislative or administrative changes to support best practices in transit signal priority.

This summary highlights the bill’s core aims: to study, propose, and implement transit-focused signal infrastructure improvements to enhance bus efficiency, with a formal governance structure and a defined timeline for reporting and integration into the state transit planning process.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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