Will County News

At a June 17, 2015 of the Elwood International Port Authority, Salvatore Di Bernardo, Executive Vice President of Ciorba Group, Consulting Engineers, gave a presentation on a Houbolt Road Bridge over the Des Plaines River.  After the presentation, audience members working in the logistics and rail industries in Will County and Village of Elwood officials discussed how a potential Houbolt Road Bridge might affect truck traffic in Will County:

The Environmental Law and Policy Center issued the following release today after a ruling by Federal Judge Jorge Alonso: "Chicago—The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued a strong decision declaring the federal and state transportation agencies’ approvals of the proposed Illiana Tollway to be illegal. “The Federal Court decision is a big victory for the Environmental Law & Policy Center and our clients and for sensible transportation planning and priorities,” said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “We are very pleased the Federal District Court has ruled in our favor, which should bring the boondoggle proposed Illiana Tollway to an end.” The Federal District Court held that the Federal Highway Administration’s and Illinois Department of Transportation’s approvals of the final Tier One Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) were “arbitrary and capricious and in vio...

A presentation on a "Houbolt Bridge" is on the Agenda for the June 17, 2015 5:00 p.m. meeting of the Elwood International Port Authority.   The Elwood International Port Authority meets at the Elwood Village Hall--401 Mississippi in Elwood. The Houbolt Bridge has been proposed as a way to route trucks from the Elwood and Joliet Intermodals onto I-80.  It has been suggested that a Houbolt Bridge would relieve traffic on Laraway, Route 53, and other roads. Here is the agenda for the meeting, from the Village of Elwood's website: AGENDA ELWOOD INTERNATIONAL PORT AUTHORITY MEETING Wednesday, June 17, 2015 5:00 PM CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL PLEDGE TO FLAG PUBLIC COMMENTS (limited to two (2) minutes per person) ICC Update Traffic Patterns Seasonal Issues Elwood International Port Directional/Way Finder Signs OJT (On the Job Training) Hiring Grant – Nisha Floyd Houbolt Br...

By Mary Baskerville MANHATTAN—The governor’s announcement to suspend work on the Illiana Expressway puts Manhattan in the position of waiting for transportation solutions.  “The problem is all the towns and municipalities are caught in this tug-of-war between the governor and the legislators,” Mayor James Doyle said. “With everybody—it’s wait and see.” The Illiana would help relieve heavy truck traffic through the center of town, Doyle said. Meanwhile, the Village of Manhattan continues to see about a ten percent increase in heavy truck traffic travel on U.S. Route 52 in the wake of the closing of Walter Strawn Drive in Elwood, he said. Citing a lack of money, the governor’s office said in a news release Tuesday that the Illiana would be taken off the current multi-year plan list. The release went on to say: “It is the determination of IDOT that the project costs exceed currently available resources. The Department will begin the process of suspending all existing ...

Governor Rauner issued a news release outlining steps his administration is taking "to begin balancing the phony Madigan-Cullerton budget." The Illiana Expressway was included on the list of steps the Governor will take :  "In light of the state's current fiscal crisis and a lack of sufficient capital resources, the Illiana Expressway will not move forward at this time. As a result, the Illinois Department of Transportation will remove the project from its current multi-year plan. It is the determination of IDOT that the project costs exceed currently available resources. The Department will begin the process of suspending all existing project contracts and procurements." The Sierra Club released the following statement in response to Rauner's decision: "We're pleased that IDOT has heard the concerns of farmers, local officials and business owners. This project would not only waste taxpayer money, but would disrupt their way of life. We...