Will County Takes Jurisdiction of Countyline Road in $1.84 Million Agreement with Kankakee County

Will County Board Meeting | April 16, 2026

Article Summary: The Will County Board has approved a jurisdictional transfer that brings a 4.27-mile stretch of Countyline Road entirely under Will County’s control, paving the way for a major reconstruction project funded in part by a $1.84 million contribution from Kankakee County.

Countyline Road Transfer Key Points:

• Will County will take over E12000N Road (Countyline Road) from IL Route 50 to near Will-Center Road.

• Kankakee County will pay Will County $1.84 million in four annual installments of $460,000 using County Bridge Funds.

• The funds are specifically earmarked for the reconstruction of two aging bridge structures (046-3232 and 046-3233).

• The transferred road will be officially added to the Will County Highway System as Will CH 58.

The Will County Board on Thursday, April 16, 2026, unanimously approved an intergovernmental agreement to take over full jurisdiction of a 4.27-mile stretch of Countyline Road from neighboring Kankakee County to streamline a massive upcoming reconstruction project.

Under Resolution 26-111, Kankakee County will transfer its portion of E12000N Road (CH 16)—from the east edge of pavement on IL Route 50 easterly to approximately 1,260 feet west of N8000E Road (near Will-Center Road)—to Will County.

Rather than a simple administrative handoff, the transfer serves as the catalyst for a major infrastructure overhaul along the border of the two counties. By consolidating jurisdiction under the Will County Division of Transportation, Will County will now serve as the lead agency to commence Phase I preliminary engineering for the total reconstruction of the roadway between IL Route 50 and IL Route 1.

To facilitate the project, the Kankakee County Highway Department has agreed to a substantial financial contribution. Kankakee County will pay Will County a total of $1,840,000, disbursed in four annual installments of $460,000 from its County Bridge Funds.

According to the resolution, the $1.84 million from Kankakee County will be utilized specifically for the reconstruction of two shared bridge structures along the route, identified as Structures 046-3232 and 046-3233.

Following approval from the Illinois Department of Transportation, the 4.27-mile corridor will be officially deleted from the Kankakee County Highway System and added to the Will County Highway System under the new designation of Will CH 58, located in County Board District 1. The project will subsequently be added to Will County’s Transportation Improvement Program to ensure the roadway’s reconstruction is fully funded and completed.