Transportation Studies

Will County Transportation Improvement Plan
2022

South and west of the City of Chicago, Will County encompasses 837 square miles and ranks as one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. Utilization of a system consisting of 58 County Highways, 4 Interstates, 16 U.S. or State numbered highways, and various other roadways making up our transportation network on a daily basis, to move people and commerce through, within, and to destinations outside of Will County. The Will County Division of Transportation (WCDOT) has the responsibility of the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of the County Highway system that includes 253 miles, 87 bridges, 4 maintenance facilities, and the DOT campus on Laraway Road.

The 2023 – 2028 Transportation Improvement Plan (The Plan) exists as a planning tool for Will County, Local Agencies, and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to coordinate planning, design, and construction activities within Will County. The Plan endeavors to meet the needs of the motoring public, the demands of previous and future development, while providing acceptable transportation performance, and protecting environmental and natural resources.

The Plan will:

Provide over 20 (does not include overlays) miles of improved highways
Reconstruct over 30 Intersections
Rehabilitate or replace at least 10 structures

WCDOT utilizes the adopted Will County Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), the following planning documents, in partnership with the public and coordination with local agencies as the basis for the Plan.

Moving Will County
2022

The Moving Will County Project is Complete!
The Moving Will County project, which was focused on bringing our region together to find consensus around truck routing, land use opportunities and impacts, is now complete.

To address challenges regarding livability and freight and build on recommendations of the Will County Community Friendly Freight Mobility Plan, CMAP and Will County took on the Moving Will County project, which included a Truck Routing and Communities Study and a Land Use Strategy. These studies were combined into one project due geographic overlap and the efficiencies that could be achieved by coordinating data collection and analysis, community outreach, and considering the interdependency of transportation and land use objectives. The joint goal of the studies is to achieve balance between truck traffic and routing, existing freight land use clusters and new development, agricultural business, natural and cultural resources, and residential neighborhoods and other sensitive areas. Both studies shared resources to develop appropriate and supportive recommendations to help Will County be competitive and resilient.

Chicago Metropolitan Agency Plan to 2050
2018

With its many partners and stakeholders, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) began to develop the ON TO 2050 comprehensive plan in 2015. The three-year process was highly transparent, featuring extensive research, analysis, and public engagement.

The resulting plan was adopted on October 10, 2018, and builds on the agency’s first comprehensive regional plan, GO TO 2040, which was released in 2010 and updated in 2014. Adoption of the plan guides transportation investments and frames regional priorities on development, the environment, the economy, and other issues affecting quality of life.

Will Connects 2040
2017

Will County is charting a new path forward and Will Connects 2040 is our blueprint to transform our transportation system in the years ahead. Will Connects 2040 establishes a strategic direction for transportation over the next 25 years and sets forth an action plan for maintaining and enhancing our transportation system. Will County’s transportation assets are important factors for job creation and corporate investment, our assets drive the success of our communities, and are integral to our individual quality of life. Over the years, we have made significant investments in our transportation system that must be maintained. We must also plan for tomorrow to meet the future travel needs of our residents, workers, business, and visitors.

Will County Community Friendly Freight Mobility Plan
2017

Will County has experienced unprecedented growth in the freight industry. The County is now the largest inland port in North America, connecting west coast ports by rail to the Midwest, and serves a key role in the Chicago regional freight economy. While this has resulted in more jobs and a stronger economy, it has strained local infrastructure and resources. To ensure that future improvements reduce conflicts and support safe, livable communities, Will County and the Will County Center for Economic Development (CED) formed an innovative public-private partnership to develop a Community Friendly Freight Mobility Plan (Freight Plan).

This Freight Plan identifies and provides guidance for local freight policies, programs, and investments, while also creating a mechanism for evaluating and prioritizing freight-related projects, recognizing six key areas: safety, mobility, preservation enhancement, workforce, economic competitiveness, and community livability. With support from state, county, and local organizations and input from the public and other stakeholders, this comprehensive Freight Plan provides recommendations to:

Improve freight mobility and access
Embrace new trends, such as e-commerce
Grow the local economy and skilled workforce
Enhance the quality of life for Will County residents
Comply with federal rules to ensure funding eligibility

South Suburban Airport
2015

The vision for the South Suburban Airport involves designing and constructing a supplemental, commercial service airfield that will serve the greater Chicagoland area. Located conveniently outside of Chicago, a major transportation hub in America’s heartland, the South Suburban Airport will offer travelers and businesses an expanded array of options in air and freight travel to meet their growing transportation needs

Public Works & Transportation Committee

Will County Division of Transportation

Administration - Main Office
Joliet Maintenance Garage
Intersection of Laraway Road and Cherry Hill Road in Joliet

Mailing Address
16841 W. Laraway Road
Joliet, IL 60433 | view map
Phone: 815.727.8476
Fax: 815.727.9806

Monee Maintenance Garage
25930 S. Egyptian Trail
Monee, IL 60449 | view map
Phone: 708.534.8751

Crest Hill Maintenance Garage
1240 Caton Farm Road
Lockport, IL 60441 | view map
Phone: 815.741.8525

Chair: Joe VanDuyne
Vice Chair: Sherry Newquist

Committee Members:
Herb Brooks Jr.
Mica Freeman
Don Gould
Jim Mousitis
Frankie Pretzel
Tom Weigel
Dense Winfrey