This year has been another outstanding year of economic development in Will County and its communities.
By almost any measure, Will County has again led Illinois in economic growth. The county saw an influx of 7,338 new jobs with more than 21 million square feet of commercial/industrial space occupied, representing an investment of almost $1 billion. Since 2001, Will County has created more jobs than any other county in Illinois.
In 2017, the Will County Center for Economic Development worked with over 90 businesses considering locations or expansions in Will County. Companies such as Amazon, Mars Candy, IKEA, General Mills and UPS have all built facilities in the county, demonstrating confidence in the future.
Will County today is a beacon for business and industry in a state that is facing many challenges.
The secret to Will County’s success includes a variety of factors, not the least of which are location, transportation assets and access to workers. Our location advantage will not be challenged anytime soon.
We are in the middle of the country with excellent proximity to markets.
Transportation assets and access to workers are not a slam dunk as we look into the future. The expansion of the logistics industry in Will County has put a lot of pressure on highways.
The recently completed Will County Community Freight Mobility Plan states that the future growth of this industry will put even more pressure on roads, compounding congestion and harming our quality of life.
The solution? The plan says we must make strategic investments in the existing highway system, including large segments of Interstate 80 and I-55.
The I-80 corridor is crowded with freight haulers, representing 25 percent of daytime traffic and 50 percent of overnight traffic on that highway.
While the state of Illinois has a long term transportation plan to improve traffic flow and safety, there is currently only funding for some bridge improvements on I-80 east of Route 53 to Richards Street. It will take more than $1 billion to pay for the I-80 makeover. And as of today, without funding, it will not happen for 10 to 15 years. The CED considers improving I-80 as the top infrastructure project for Will County.
As for workforce, we can’t build our way out of the challenges that many current and future employers face, such as worker supply, retention, skills and mobility. Low unemployment rates, lack of skilled workers to replace retiring employees and getting people to where the jobs are located are all factors that will impact continued strong business growth. The CED will be addressing these and other critical issues in 2018.
Recent attention given to safety and congestion on I-80 by the media and local officials is a good start. The formation of an I-80 organization that will attack the political and financial realities of accelerating the funding for the improvements is one way to go.
Like the grassroots initiative that got the I-355 extension built, bringing local, state and federal leaders together can lead to the I-80 solution.
Workforce initiatives that already exist in the county brought into closer alignment with the needs of employers will help. Assisting our higher education institutions to understand the jobs of the future in the county and building curriculum and training programs around those should ease the recruitment of new employees.
Continuing to find transit solutions through increased service, subsidized by employers will help with the journey to work.
It will not be easy, but finding solutions is key to the economic future of Will County. We have done this before. The challenges are great, but the rewards are greater.
• John Greuling is president and CEO of the Will County Center for Economic Development.