advertisement

Quinn signs Pace shoulder-riding program into law

Legislation that allows a suburban Chicago bus agency's vehicles to ride on the shoulders of a major roadway is now law.

Gov. Pat Quinn signed a plan on Monday that makes Pace's "Bus on Shoulders" pilot program permanent. Pace bus drivers on two routes that travel on Interstate 55 are able to use shoulders as a passing lane when traffic is moving slower than 35 mph. They're not allowed to travel more than 15 mph over the top speed of vehicles in the expressway lanes.

The idea is to speed up trips.

The pilot program started in 2011. Pace bus drivers were able to use the newly widened shoulders on the Stevenson Expressway to get around rush hour traffic jams. State officials say on-time performance has greatly improved since then.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.