Board approves temporary weight limit increase for Arsenal Road
Keeps trucks flowing into intermodals, economic engine humming
JOLIET, IL – The Will County Board approved a 90 day weight limit increase for Arsenal Road, giving the green light for 92,000 pound trucks to travel into the CenterPoint Intermodal Center parks in Joliet and Elwood. The board also approved a streamlined permitting process with daily, weekly and monthly permits.
"Commerce across the country and throughout the world depends on the flow of goods through Will County," said Speaker Jim Moustis. "We have one of the largest inland ports in the country that creates and sustains thousands of jobs for our area, and we are a major agricultural exporter. We need to maintain the necessary infrastructure to support this economic engine. This action is a short-term solution, and I look forward to working with officials from the Illinois Department of Transportation to determine a permanent one."
"Commerce across the country and throughout the world depends on the flow of goods through Will County," said Speaker Jim Moustis. "We have one of the largest inland ports in the country that creates and sustains thousands of jobs for our area, and we are a major agricultural exporter. We need to maintain the necessary infrastructure to support this economic engine. This action is a short-term solution, and I look forward to working with officials from the Illinois Department of Transportation to determine a permanent one."
Last month the Illinois Commerce Commission shut down the Walter Strawn Drive railway crossing and, in turn, steered truck traffic to use the Interstate 55/Arsenal Road interchange to gain access into Centerpoint, where freight is moved between trains and trucks. Until the board's action, this alternative route allowed trucks with a weight limit up to 88,000 pounds for containerized grain only and caused some businesses to use other intermodal yards outside of the county or reduce the amount of goods carried into Centerpoint.
The board also approved a new permit fee structure for overweight trucks traveling on Arsenal Road. The new structure replaces per-trip charges with a $50 daily permit, $250 weekly permit, and a $500 monthly permit. The county hopes the new structure significantly reduces the amount of permit processing. In the first 11 days following the shutdown of the Walter Strawn Drive entrance, the county issued 7,300 overweight permits compared to 14,000 permits for all of 2014.
Beyond the temporary weight limit increase, officials warned prolonged overweight truck traffic on Arsenal Road could result in serious maintenance issues and costs. The county will spend the next three months working with the state and local stakeholders to try and approve a long-term remedy to keep commerce safely flowing through the region.
"Arsenal Road will require significantly more maintenance if these increased weight loads are allowed over an extended period," said County Engineer Bruce Gould. "Will County simply can't charge enough for permits to offset the damage done to our roadway infrastructure."
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The board also approved a new permit fee structure for overweight trucks traveling on Arsenal Road. The new structure replaces per-trip charges with a $50 daily permit, $250 weekly permit, and a $500 monthly permit. The county hopes the new structure significantly reduces the amount of permit processing. In the first 11 days following the shutdown of the Walter Strawn Drive entrance, the county issued 7,300 overweight permits compared to 14,000 permits for all of 2014.
Beyond the temporary weight limit increase, officials warned prolonged overweight truck traffic on Arsenal Road could result in serious maintenance issues and costs. The county will spend the next three months working with the state and local stakeholders to try and approve a long-term remedy to keep commerce safely flowing through the region.
"Arsenal Road will require significantly more maintenance if these increased weight loads are allowed over an extended period," said County Engineer Bruce Gould. "Will County simply can't charge enough for permits to offset the damage done to our roadway infrastructure."
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