The Will County Board meeting was called to order on February 15th, 2024. Debate from both Democratic and Republican Board Members was heard regarding the resolution “Directing the Will County Division of Transportation to Cease Moving Forward with the 143rd Street Expansion Road Project as Currently Planned.”
Members of the public packed the gallery. It was apparent that most of the public were opposed to the 143rd Street Project. The Board heard testimony from more than twenty members of the public who chose to come forward and speak. The Clerk’s office then read into the record more than one hundred emailed public comments with a significant number of those opposed to the project.
The County Board Resolution then passed with a 12-9 vote to cease the 143rd Street Expansion Road Project as Currently Planned.
Will County Board Chairman, Judy Ogalla, stated “Far too many times issues are heard, and the voices of the people are overlooked. That did not happen today! The road project had been presented to the County Board various times over the last few decades and made sense based on the metrics given at that time. However, those metrics have changed. In reviewing recent information, and after hours of public testimony and hundreds of emails from concerned residents, the answer was clear that this project must end as currently planned. I believe today’s outcome is a victory for all of Will County.”
The Will County Board thanks each member of the public who expressed their concerns on this matter. It is only through open communication and discussion that we can best serve the public this Board represents.