Examples of the powerful effects of the Boub disincentive, since 1998

The list below contains just some of the cases that we know of, from the few efforts that we've been involved with.

• Illinois' tourism agency has been reluctant to promote the Grand Illinois Trail (GIT) until the loop is complete. The Boub situation has been identified as the major obstacle, by both the IDNR and the Conservation Congress. Economic development and tourism possibilities are being lost.
• The Whiteside County Board has refused to adopt the whole county trails and greenways plan because of the immunity lost in designating on-road connections between the proposed off-road trails.
• In the development of the Shelby County plan, the proposed trail around Lake Shelbyville included on-road segments. The county engineer would not allow these segments or other connections to be signed, because of Boub. The plan was scaled back and pursued more costly, off-road alternatives.
• The Lee County Greenways and Trails Plan says it is "unlikely that any roadways will be marked as bicycle routes by the county highway department until the state legislature alters its stance on the liability that may be inferred by such signing of roads for any use other than motor transportation."
• Rock Island County has removed all "share bikeway" signs on advice of the county State's Attorney.
• Winnebago County and the City of Rockford are no longer Grand Illinois Trail partners for county roads and city streets. The Boub decision was a key factor in Winnebago County's decision to build much more expensive off-road trails, instead.
• In a very key segment of the GIT between the east end of the Hennepin Canal Bikeway and the west end of the I&M Canal Bikeway in Bureau County, both Selby and Hall Townships had agreed to mark the route just prior to the Boub decision. Afterwards they reneged on their previous position. They have apparently refused to allow any signs that encourage bikes.
• Both Jo Daviess and Stevenson Counties had earlier worked with IDNR to identify the best GIT route through their counties. They have since refused to discuss any routing whatsoever.
• Sangamon County has refused "Share the Road" signs for Old Jacksonville Road. The same signs were refused by Dundee Township leaders, after a bike club convinced staff that the signs would be a way to address local car/bike safety conflicts.
• On the southern section of the 44-mile Tunnel Hill State Trail, Johnson County township officials have refused to sign a short section (less than 1 mile) of township road.
• The Mississippi River Trail is a major tourism and economic development effort being developed from Minnesota to Louisiana. It consists mostly of signed on-road sections, often with safety improvements such as widened shoulders. Because of Boub concerns by numerous local agencies, Illinois' efforts have failed, resulting in the loss of money to Missouri and Iowa.
• A 1999 news article discussed Des Plaines' proposed bikeway plan, but cited local indications that marked routes would not likely happen in light of the Boub decision.
• South Barrington and Hoffman Estates have refused to consider on-street bikeways.
• Even Kane County, with a very bike-friendly highway department, had serious concerns about simply rating roads (using a nationally-accepted measure of bicyclist compatibility) on its new bike map.
• A vast number of communities near the 70-mile Hennepin Canal Trail and elsewhere have refused to sign on-road connections from their towns to nearby trail systems, to protect their immunity.
• Liability concerns about existing and future Bike Route signs is currently a stumbling block in the development of the Champaign County bike plan.
• Bloomington-Normal's recently decided to seek Bicycle Friendly Community designation. However, upon finding out about the Boub disincentive, these plans have stalled.