Will County seeks new funding in response to freight study

Since Will County adopted their new "Community Friendly Freight Mobility" study, it has been hailed as the "first of its kind” in the Chicagoland area and should spark some interest within the region. Will County officials hope that this interest will generate funds from both the federal and state level to support future freight endeavors.

“The purpose of the study is to understand freight movement, the future of freight movement, and its impact on the county,” consultant Ann Schneider said, according to the Chicago Tribune Website.

The study found that freight is crucial to Will County’s economic success, as it provides 55 percent of its economy. Freight is also important to the region and nation as well, as 63 percent of freight passes through Will County.

According to Schneider, this study will be used to seek state and national funding, since the network of roads in the county is so critical to the movement of freight in the country.

“The value of the freight moving through Will County equals 97 percent of Gross Regional Product, 80 percent of Gross State Product, and 3.5 percent of the US Gross Product” according to the Chicago Tribune Website’s assessment of the study.

Industrial space is projected to increase by 61 percent over the next 10 years and the traffic on through some states and US highways is projected to triple due to this by 2040. If plans aren’t made to keep up with the increasing amount of freight traffic, it will affect Will County negatively in terms of “economic competitiveness, quality of life and natural environments.”

"These key findings will be eyebrow raisers when we compete for federal dollars," Schneider said.

According to the study, Will County will have to find ways to work with its partners to coordinate development, as traditional planning methods will struggle or fail to keep up with the increasing movement of freight.