Illinois Statutes Chapter 65. Municipalities § 5/11-122-1. Construction and operation; referendum; rules and regulations; rates and charges

§ 11-122-1. Subject to the provisions of Section 11-122-6, every city may own, construct, acquire, purchase, maintain, and operate street railways within its corporate limits. For the purpose of this Division 122 the expression “street railways” includes railways above, on, or below the surface of the city streets. But no city shall proceed to operate street railways unless the proposition to operate is first submitted to the electors of the city as a separate proposition and approved by three-fifths of those voting thereon.

The city council of any city that decides by popular vote, as provided in this Division 122, to operate street railways, has the power to make all needful rules and regulations respecting the operation thereof, including the power to fix and prescribe rates and charges. But these rates and charges shall be high enough (1) to produce a revenue sufficient to bear all costs of maintenance and operation, (2) to meet interest charges on all bonds or certificates issued on account of these railways, and (3) to permit the accumulation of a surplus or sinking fund sufficient to meet all such outstanding bonds or certificates at maturity. Street railways owned and operated by such a city, or owned by the city and leased for operating purposes to a private company, may carry passengers and their ordinary baggage, parcels, packages, and United States mail, and may be utilized for such other purposes as the city council of the city may deem proper. Such street railways may be operated by such motive power as the city council may approve, except steam locomotives.