Will County’s dial-a-ride transportation service for seniors and disabled residents reached record ridership levels while officials plan major expansion to cover all county townships.

The Access Will County program served 4,235 rides from December through March, putting the service on track to exceed 13,000 rides this fiscal year, according to quarterly reports presented to the Public Works & Transportation Committee Tuesday.

Mobility Manager Colin Phillips said the program now serves 16 townships covering two-thirds of Will County’s geographic area, but only one-third of the county’s senior population due to population density differences. The program provides curb-to-curb transportation throughout Will County and parts of southern Cook County using Pace paratransit shuttle buses.

“I would just like to be able to tell every Will County resident who’s a senior or an individual living with disability that they have the same level of access as everyone else,” Phillips said.

Deputy Chief of Staff Elaine Bottomley announced that the county is negotiating with Central Will Dial-a-Ride to consolidate services covering Lockport, Homer, Troy, Joliet, and Jackson townships. The proposal would phase Central Will into the county program with participating communities initially paying full costs before gradually transitioning to county funding over five years.

“We are working on trying to come up with an agreement that I would hope to bring forward to this committee within the next couple of months ahead of our FY26,” Bottomley said.

The current program operates with a $600,000 annual budget, with Will County paying approximately one-third of costs thanks to grants from the Regional Transportation Authority and AgeGuide. Riders pay suggested donations of $2 for trips within their township and $4 for trips outside their township.

Board Member Julie Berkowicz pressed officials about delays in adding Wheatland Township to the service, noting that county residents there are paying taxes that support the program while being excluded from its benefits.

“Every senior in Will County should be getting this service today. They’re subsidizing it,” Berkowicz said. “You are taking people into Wheatland Township, taking them out of Wheatland Township, but the people who are living in Wheatland Township are excluded.”

Officials said they have reached out to Wheatland Township multiple times but have not received responses. The township is the only remaining municipality not covered by either the county program or other local dial-a-ride services.

The program has grown dramatically since 2021, when it served fewer than 4,000 annual rides. Phillips attributed the growth to expanded service areas, increased awareness through community outreach, and the addition of new eligible townships.

Committee members praised the program’s success while emphasizing the need for countywide coverage. The expansion discussions come as public transportation agencies face funding challenges, though officials said federal fiscal issues should not directly impact the local program.