Technically vans with ladders, and trucks with cargo, regardless of how they are plated are not exempt.

See Chicago Ordinance 9-72-020

9-72-020 Operation Of Vehicles Restricted.
It shall be unlawful to operate any vehicle upon any boulevard (a) when such vehicle is used for carrying freight or other goods and merchandise for commercial purposes, (b) when such vehicle is designed primarily for carrying freight or other
goods and merchandise, and (c) when such vehicle is used for carrying freight or other goods and merchandise on the outside of the vehicle; provided, however, that vehicles carrying freight or other goods from or to any building or premises abutting any boulevard where it is impossible from the location of the building or the character of the freight or other goods to be received or delivered, to receive or deliver the freight or other goods and merchandise from an alley or a side street or a street other than the boulevard, shall be permitted to enter the boulevard at the cross street nearest the building or premises to receive or deliver the freight or other goods, but shall not proceed further on the boulevard than the nearest cross street. Operators of emergency vehicles a.n d. such vehicles excepted by permits issued by the executive director are exempt from provisions of this section. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, it shall not be unlawful to operate any of the vehicles described in clauses (a), (b) and (c) on those portions of Interstate Route 55, and the exit and entrance ramps thereto, which lie between the King Drive Interchange and the north and southbound lanes of Lake Shore Drive and the most easterly lane of northbound Lake Shore Drive and the most westerly lane of southbound Lake Shore Drive and the exit and entrance ramps of Lake Shore Drive which lie between Interstate Route 55 and 31st Street; provided that such vehicles are traveling to or from the McCormick Place complex and its support facilities.

Having grown up in the Chicago area, I got a warning ticket on Rt.41/94 in the city for driving my p/u with trucks plates in the left lane. Trucks are restricted the same way in those lanes as on LSD. Talked my way out of the full ticket because my brother in Chief of Police in one of the northern suburbs.

WTF - That is bullchit. Who writes these laws

Thatis just stupid!! Aren't there still people in Chicago that buy pickups just because they like them? Iknow some that have never hauled anything more than a cooler.

The LEO's exact words were" If it has truck plate on the vehicle, it is a truck. I don't care if it is a personal vehicle or not."

Does a 2500 Avalanche with "D" plates count as a commercial truck?

Yep

I never ever paid attention to that sign...never even saw the regulation. Thank god I dont drive on LSD much since I picked up the F150, the last thing I need is a bogus fine like that.

I've run my Avalanche from Roosevelt on the south all the way to where LSD ends up north, and never been bothered. Of course its more like a cruck (car/truck), than a truck but still has b plates. Just lucky I guess.

I have been stopped with my pickup when I had B plates. The officer gave me a pass, but he was going to give me a ticket for having the pickup on lsd. The past 4 years I have had the "police memorial" specialty plates and have not been bothered. I wouldnt attempt to trailer a boat down LSD unless its from I-55 to the 18th st burnham harbor entrance. When I would tow my Excalibur to diversey, I would take 94 to diversey and head east to the lake. But even then, diversey turns into a parkway and has a weight limit. However, the police unit that deals with traffic, pretty much patrols LSD and thats it. The regular beat cops can give a rats ass. I drive my 18 wheel dump truck all over the city and never been stopped even though I have been on weight posted streets. Chicago doesnt even have a truck enforcement unit anymore. But the officers assigned to "traffic" on LSD will stop you if they have a reason, since there only assignment is speeding and traffic violations. The police memorial plates are the way to go. My dad has been a policeman for 34 years, so I figured I would get them since the extra 25 dollar fee goes to familes of officers that got killed in the line of duty. Its also a bonus that most cops see the plate and look the other way unless you are driving like a dik.