Will County News

  On September 14, 2023, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced the Brandon Road bridge would remain closed for repairs until late 2024. Brandon Road Bridge in Joliet Notice from IDOT: " The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that Brandon Road bridge over the Des Plaines River, in Joliet, is closed as a result of a mechanical component malfunction. The bridge will remain closed to begin repairs, originally scheduled to start later this month. The $3.4 million project includes repairing the bridge deck, joints and brakes, replacing mechanical components and structural steel. Additionally, as part of upgrading the downtown movable bridges to allow them to be controlled from a central location, new aerial cables and control system will be installed, along with various tender house upgrades. The project is anticipated to be completed late 2024. A detour will direct motorists to McDonough Street via U.S. 6, U.S. 52/Illinois 53 and Laraway Road to cro...

The Illinois Secretary of State announced today, June 20, 2020, that the Joliet Drivers Facility on Joyce Road will close until further notice.   Press release : "Out of an abundance of caution, the Joliet Drivers Services Facility (201 S. Joyce Rd.) is closed  because of an employee who tested positive for COVID-19. Drivers are encouraged to visit the nearest facilities which include Naperville, 931 W. 75th St., Ste.  161 and Morris, 425 East Route 6."

Tina and Joel Brownlee of Wilmington were the high bidders for the historic Route 66 icon Gemini Giant and Launching Pad restaurant Friday, but walked away without the prize. The 2,600 square foot former Launching Pad restaurant at 810 E. Baltimore Street in Wilmington drew a $177,500 bid—but that amount failed to match the owner’s reserve. Auctioneer Jim Bednar said he will negotiate with the Brownlees and the owner over the next couple of days to see if they can come together on price. The auction drew a mixed crowd of about 40 locals, neighbors, bidders, and watchers.   After the auction, Brownlee said she grew up in Wilmington “and enjoyed the Launching Pad.” Her family would like to see the restaurant “come back to life.”

Will County roads such as Route 53, Laraway Road, I-80, and I-55 have experienced increased semi-truck traffic in the last 10 years as new warehouses and intermodals have become operational. The Village of Elwood, site of one intermodal and petitioner in an Illinois Commerce Commission case that resulted in the closing of Walter Strawn Drive , has now launched a website called Safe Roads Illinois .  The website features statistics on truck-related accidents and deaths in Will County and videos of local residents discussing truck traffic in Will County: Here, Meri Knauer, grandmother of 8-year old Madison Frost, discussed her granddaughter's death. Madison was killed when her family's van was struck by a semi. Knauer stated, "We don't want Madison's death to be in vain, enough is enough": A mother discusses her fear regarding having her children driving on Will County roads: A friend of a man killed when a semi struck his car: Elwood Police Ch...

T he Illinois Department of Transportation is holding a public meeting on Tuesday, November 10, 2015 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Stone City V.F.W. in Joliet, Illinois on IDOT's Phase I Study to address safety and operations along IL-53. Specifically, IDOT is studying the stretch of 53 from Rt. 52 (Doris Avenue near Nowell Park) to West Arsenal Road in Wilmington. The purpose of the meeting is for IDOT to " obtain public input on the transportation issues in the study area, describe the project development process, and provide information on additional public involvement opportunities "  according to the Illinois Route 53 Study Website .

Will County is inviting citizens to share their thoughts on the county's transportation future. Will County is creating a long-range transportation plan--Will Connects 2040-- which will delineate how the county will use transportation resources. Will County gained population during the housing boom.  Furthermore, Will County is home to two intermodals that together comprise the largest inland port in North America.  At the open house, the public will be able to provide input on how to prioritize solutions to the increased traffic. The dates and times of the open houses are: April 28, 4-7pm Joliet Junior College 1215 Houbolt Road Concourse C*1031 Joliet, IL 60431 April 29,4-7pm Wilmington City Hall Council Chambers 1165 S. Water Street Wilmington, IL 60481 May 5, 4-7pm New Lenox Village Hall Community Room 1 Veterans Parkway New Lenox, IL 60451 May 12, 4-7pm Governors State University Hall of Honors One University Parkway University Park, IL...

The Illinois Commerce Commission ruled today that the rail crossing at Walter Strawn Road and Route 53 must be closed. Video of closed Walter Strawn Drive in Elwood: The Village of Elwood released the following press release after the ruling: "After a year-long battle, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) unanimously ruled today that the state’s most dangerous rail crossing, located at Route 53 and Walter Strawn Drive in the Village of Elwood, must be closed within two weeks, no later than January 28th, 2015. Joining the Village in support of closing the crossing have been the Illinois Department of Transportation, Union Pacific Railroad, and staff at the Illinois Commerce Commission – the agency that governs rail crossing safety across Illinois. The decision came despite the efforts of intermodal facility owner CenterPoint Properties, which argued to keep the crossing open despite the myriad of safety concerns. “Despite the special interests and clout, justice h...

August 6, 2014 Joliet mayoral candidate and current City Councilman Bob O'Dekirk released a press release yesterday regarding a bridge over the Des Plaines River to relieve traffic on local roads such as Route 53 in Joliet.  O'Dekirk states he was contacted by union officials claiming to have a plan and private money to build a toll bridge over the Des Plaines to connect CenterPoint with I-80 at Houboult Road.  Full press release from O'Dekirk: "On the heels of yet another semitrailer rollover on I-55 Monday afternoon, Joliet District 2 Councilman, Bob O’Dekirk is calling for an expedited plan to build a proposed truck bypass bridge from CenterPoint to I-80 at Houbolt Rd. "The horrific traffic accident on I-55 last week is a call to action” O’Dekirk said, “these types of accidents and numerous rollovers on both I-55 and I-80 won’t stop until we solve the truck congestion problem plaguing Joliet and the surrounding area.”   O'Dekirk...

The Village of Elwood, Illinois held a special meeting July 23, 2014 at 7 p.m. to discuss "AN ORDINANCE REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 1027 ENTITLED “AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE MODIFICATION OF TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND IMPOSING RESTRICTIONS UPON USAGE OF CERTAIN VILLAGE ROADS” Elwood had passed an ordinance in May restricting truck traffic on certain Village of Elwood roads in an attempt to reduce the number of trucks driving through Elwood and using U.S. Route 53.  Because trucks can currently only enter CenterPoint-Joliet from the south, trucks were getting off I80, coming south on 53, and then going through Elwood to reach the South Entrance to CenterPoint-Joliet. Elwood's May '14 ordinance restricted trucks from using CenterPoint Drive as a through street, among other restrictions . CenterPoint, Union Pacific,and APL Logistics brought a federal suit to remove the road restrictions, arguing they violated interstate commerce laws . At the July 23, '14 meeting, the Villa...

Be sure to tune in to American Pickers tonight--March 4, 2012---at 8 P.M..  The pickers will be searching for antique treasures in Picker Mike Wolfe's hometown of Joliet, Illinois.  Mike is from Joliet and got his start picking and learning about bikes and other antiques in Joliet where he picked items and resold them.