Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
DOT seeks $1M bump to highway levy to cover rising construction and personnel costs
Summary
The county’s transportation director requested raising the highway levy from about $8.2M to $9.2M to cover insurance increases (~$250,000), union negotiations, equipment repairs and two new positions (permit technician and traffic manager).
Will County’s transportation department asked the board to increase the highway levy by about $1 million, from ~$8.2 million to ~$9.2 million, citing a sustained period of flat funding amid rising construction and parts costs.
The transportation director said construction costs have risen about 67% over four years and that operating revenues for the highway fund are heavily weighted to personnel (about 70% of the levy). The requested increase would cover an insurance cost rise the department estimated at roughly $250,000, contractual salary increases tied to collective bargaining, and the introduction of two new staff positions: a permit technician to comply with joint‑utility locating requirements and a traffic manager to oversee a growing intelligent transportation system. The department said other line items are being held steady where possible.
Board members questioned project timing—particularly phases of the Monee–Manhattan corridor—and DOT said meetings with affected villages are ongoing and that no final routing decision has been made. DOT staff said the levy increase is designed to restore buying power after 15 years of a largely flat operating fund and to prevent ongoing transfers from construction funds to cover operations.
