Will County wants to hear from you about truck routes

Will County officials are seeking input from residents on truck routing during a virtual workshop scheduled for Aug. 13.

The county is holding the workshop to gather feedback from residents about combining a truck routing study with a transportation and community land use strategy, according to a news release. County officials said their goal is to strike a balance between the area's growing economic development and maintaining quality of life for Will County residents.

The workshop will primarily explore truck traffic, routing and existing freight land use clusters.

Will County Board Speaker Mimi Cowan, D-Naperville, said in the release the workshop will lead to a comprehensive plan which combines the benefits of transportation with quality of life issues for the county.

"As an historian, I’m cognizant that, for almost 200 years, Will County has been central to the movement of goods throughout our greater region and the nation," Cowan said in the release. "While I am keen to see that centrality continue, one of my goals is to promote collaborative solutions that support economic development and maintain a high quality of life for all our residents."

The virtual workshop is planned for Aug. 13 from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. to present initial findings and seek public feedback. County officials have worked with several partners to develop the plan and host the workshop, according to the release.

"There is no question that Will County derives substantial economic benefit as a growing transportation hub, but as the primary governing body overseeing this vital asset, we must still work to maintain our agricultural and cultural assets, not to mention desirable residential neighborhoods and communities," Minority Leader Mike Fricilone, R-Homer Glen, said in the release.

New development, agricultural businesses, natural and cultural resources, and residential impact will be examined in subsequent workshops the county said.

This study builds on the previous award-winning Community Friendly Freight Study and the land use and transportation plan also being developed.

Since the project began in November of 2019, a planning team has conducted research and data analysis and held focus groups with local municipalities and organizations to understand the issue.

To learn more about the project or register for the virtual zoom workshop, go to MovingWillCounty.org. The Moving Will County project is a partnership between Will County and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP).