Will County/IDOT reach agreement on ownership of Arsenal Road

IDOT withdraws request to reopen Walter Strawn Road

JOLIET – Will County and the Illinois Department of Transportation on Wednesday reached an agreement about the jurisdiction of several roads in Will County, with the most significant transfer being Arsenal Road.

     “We negotiated with IDOT to take over Arsenal Road and in exchange the county will assume ownership of three other roadways within the county,” said Will County Executive Larry Walsh. “This is an important agreement regarding the safety of this region. This will benefit the county, our residents, the intermodals, and the many truckers who use this road daily.”

The agreement calls for the jurisdictional transfer to IDOT of Arsenal Road from Interstate 55 to Baseline Road.

     “Will County is at the crossroads of America and a major player in the global marketplace,” Walsh said. “Having safe, efficient roadways is paramount to the safety of our residents and the continued economic development of Will County.”

Will County Division of Transportation Director Bruce Gould said this transfer with IDOT will help alleviate some stress on the county’s highway system.

     “This transfer will be a big help to Will County,” Gould said. “We will not be faced, month after month, of issuing overweight truck permits and this transfer will eliminate the burden of using county resources to maintain this intermodal access.” 

Will County officials are hopeful the IDOT agreement will be presented for approval as early as the August 20 meeting of the Will County Board.