Article Summary: The Access Will County dial-a-ride program is set for a major expansion in 2026, with plans to incorporate New Lenox, DuPage, and Wheatland townships and begin a five-year phase-in for the five central Will County townships. The expansion aims to create a unified, county-wide transit system as ridership continues to break monthly records, surpassing 1,400 trips in September.

Access Will County Expansion Key Points:

• New Lenox, DuPage, and Wheatland townships are budgeted to join the Access Will County program in 2026.

• A five-year phase-in agreement is being finalized to absorb the Central Will Dial-a-Ride service, which covers Joliet, Lockport, Homer, Troy, and Jackson townships.

• The program set a new ridership record in September 2025 with over 1,400 rides provided in a single month.

• The county-managed system offers a simplified, same-day registration process, removing barriers that exist in other regional paratransit programs.

JOLIET, IL – Will County’s rapidly growing dial-a-ride service is on course to provide transportation access to all residents county-wide starting in 2026, officials reported to the Public Works & Transportation Committee on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.

In a quarterly update, county staff outlined a significant expansion that will bring several new and existing township services under the unified Access Will County umbrella. Elaine Bottomley of the County Executive’s office confirmed that the 2026 budget includes funding to add New Lenox Township, DuPage Township, and Wheatland Township to the program.

“We have confirmed with DuPage Township that they’re going to dissolve their existing program and become a part of our program,” Bottomley said. “New Lenox Township has not had a dial-a-ride system through PACE, so we are expanding to New Lenox Township for 2026.”

The largest part of the expansion involves consolidating the Central Will Dial-a-Ride service, a separate entity covering Lockport, Homer, Troy, Joliet, and Jackson townships. According to Bottomley, the ridership and cost of serving these five townships are equivalent to the entire current Access Will County program.

To manage the financial impact, the county is finalizing a five-year phase-in agreement. “Year one, Central Will Dial-a-Ride is going to pay 100% of the cost,” Bottomley explained. “Year two, Central Will will pay for 80% of the cost and Will County will pick up 20%… It’s a graduated scale down to five years out where the county would assume full financial responsibility.”

The goal, she stated, is that by 2026, “every single resident within Will County will have the same access to transportation. It’ll all have the same eligibility, it’ll all have the same cost.”

The expansion comes as the program experiences record growth. Mobility Manager Colin Phillips reported that ridership surpassed 1,400 trips in September, a new monthly high. Since expanding to cover southwestern townships in 2024, the service has seen a steady increase in users.

“As we make public press releases about our program expanding to encapsulate areas that don’t have access to public transportation like the Wilmington area, this is the effect we see,” Phillips said. “People realize the service is available… and they take advantage of it.”

Committee Chair Jackie Traynere praised the program’s streamlined registration process, which Phillips said allows most new riders to book trips the same day they call. This contrasts sharply with other regional programs that can require a multi-week verification process, including in-person appointments in Chicago.

“If you’re 69 years old and you’ve been on disability for over 10 years… you’re still required to go downtown Chicago, which is a huge hardship for someone that’s disabled,” Traynere noted. Under the Access Will County model, that requirement is eliminated for residents of participating townships.

The service, operated by Pace Suburban Bus with funding support from the RTA and AgeGuide, is geared toward seniors and residents with disabilities. The cost for riders is $2 for a one-way trip within their home township and $4 for trips outside of it.