Will County committee approves plan to fold Central Will Dial‑A‑Ride into countywide Accessible County program

The Will County Transportation Committee voted to approve an intergovernmental agreement to fold Central Will Dial‑A‑Ride into the countywide Accessible County program, the committee voted during its regular November meeting.

County staff told the committee the proposal is a phased consolidation meant to simplify access and billing and create uniform service parameters across participating municipalities and townships. "The best way to really ensure that residents have access to transportation ... is to work towards a consolidation into a singular program under Accessible County," Elaine, a county staff member, said while presenting the agreement.

The IGA would bring Central Will partners — the City of Joliet, Homer Township, Joliet Township, Lockport Township, Troy Township and Jackson Township — into a single program managed by Will County. Staff said the consolidation would be phased in rather than immediately transferring full program costs to the county. For fiscal year 2026, Central Will partners would continue to pay 100% of ride costs while the county administers the program; staff proposed a phased cost shift thereafter, reducing partner contributions by roughly 20 percentage points per year.

The agreement includes a funding breakdown and several subsidies and grants that will transfer to the county. Staff identified a PACE subsidy and an additional "Title 20" grant from the City of Joliet as offsetting funds. "Our estimate is that the maximum amount that Central Will will have to pay as a combined total entity is $325,000," Elaine said, adding that figure is roughly $10,000 above this year's estimated program cost and would be phased into the county budget rather than immediately borne by the county.

Staff explained that, under the county billing process, PACE subsidies would be applied to invoices and that county staff would allocate remaining local costs to municipalities and townships based on ridership. The county also plans hands‑on outreach — pop‑up registration events and community presentations — to increase awareness of the consolidated program.

Committee members pressed staff on details and risks. Some members asked whether riders would face higher fares; staff replied that riders would pay the same rates as before. Others raised long‑term fiscal concerns and asked what would happen if program costs grew beyond available funding. "What are we gonna do if we mismanage the program and we have no more money?" asked one member during a lengthy exchange about potential future obligations. Staff and members repeatedly said that any future fiscal shortfall would require the county board to decide whether to allocate additional funding or cut services.

Several members argued townships that previously paid for local services should continue to bear some costs or reduce levies; staff said parts of the county previously without services received them without local levies and that the county must balance equity across areas with differing historical funding. The presenter noted Will County is the last in the region to adopt a countywide dial‑a‑ride system and cited peer counties that achieved efficiencies by consolidating.

The committee took a roll call and approved the IGA by majority vote. Staff said each Central Will partner will consider the IGA at its November meetings and that the county's implementation date is tentatively Jan. 1, coinciding with an updated PACE contract.

The committee directed staff to continue outreach and to provide additional budgetary and operational detail if requested by members before final implementation.