SPRINGFIELD - A state Senator is seeking additional support for his measures to raise the speed limit on some Illinois’ highways to 75 mph, but the measure has been sent to a sub-committee with no members.

State Sen. Jim Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove, filed Senate Bill 2565 to change the maximum speed limit from 70 mph to 75 mph on any interstate highway outside of an urban area. He also filed Senate Bill 2564 to change the maximum speed limit outside an urban district from 55 mph to 60 mph.

Oberweis said his measures would not be mandated. Rather, the bills would allow transportation authorities to go up to that limit if determined to be safe.

“The safest speeds are at the 85 percentile level, which on some of the downstate interstates is 75 [miles per hour],” Oberweis said. “We initially asked to increase it to 70 a few years ago because we didn’t think 75 would pass. Now, we’ve seen that increase to 70 actually reduced fatalities, was a positive based on the number of miles traveled, so I think it’s time to take a look at whether we should do 75.”

In 2013, the state increased the speed limit for some highways to 70 miles per hour. Illinois Department of Transportation figures show that traffic fatalities on interstates in Illinois increased from 107 in 2014 to 145 in 2018. Those figures don't factor in miles traveled or indicate if speed was a factor.

Opponents have said higher speed limits would lead to more crashes.

The measures have been put in the Senate Transportation Subcommittee on Special Issues, which has no members.

“Which means it will be difficult to pass,” Oberweis said. “But they said there will be a hearing on that later on.”

It’s unclear when that could happen.

“I want to emphasize, the bill that I filed does not require any increase in speeds,” Oberweis said. “All it does is allow the Illinois Tollway Authority and [Illinois Department of Transportation] to increase to 75 if they deem that to be the safest speed. That’s all it does.”