Will County, Joliet in talks to reduce truck traffic on local roads

Joliet and Will County officials on Tuesday formally announced the start of discussions with the Illinois Department of Transportation to reduce truck traffic on local roads.

The announcement, made in the form of a news release, follows comments made by Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy last month that the city is pursuing truck traffic relief with the county and state. D’Arcy made his remarks as the Joliet City Council approved another expansion of the NorthPoint Development warehouse project that opponents have said will add to truck traffic problems.

According to the release, county and city officials met Jan. 31 with Illinois Secretary of Transportation Omer Osman and state Rep. Larry Walsh Jr., D-Elwood. The meeting is the first to be held with the goal of planning transportation options, and more are expected to follow, according to the release.

“Reducing congestion and increasing safety on our roads is a top priority for the city of Joliet,” D’Arcy said in the release. “I appreciate Secretary Osman and his team for meeting with us to discuss short- and long-term solutions to the challenge of increased local truck traffic.”

In the release, Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant said “increased congestion on our roadways” has come with “a steady increase in population,” while 3.5% of the nation’s gross domestic product passes through Will County.

Topics at the meeting last week included rerouting freight traffic to minimize the use of roads designed to serve area residents, according to the release.

The issue is not a new one.

The Houbolt Road toll bridge, which opened last April, is designed to give freight traffic a direct route between Interstate 80 and the intermodal yards in Joliet and Elwood.

Will County currently is developing its “Our Way Forward 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan.”

The plan is intended to be a guide for countywide infrastructure projects for the next 25 years, according to a news release announcing the open houses.

“The ‘Our Way Forward 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan’ will assess all modes of transportation, including walking, biking, driving transit and freight,” according to a news release from the county. “Once completed, the plan will be used to identify transportation investments that align with the public’s goals for the county, such as improved safety and quality of life, reduced congestion and enhanced economic development.”