Jackson Township Requests IDOT Deny NorthPoint Route 53 Permit

Jackson Township has officially asked IDOT to deny the request the City of Joliet has made to allow emergency access on Route 53. Supervisor Matthew Robbins was the one who requested the denial of the permit. This comes on the heels of State Rep Larry Walsh Jr and State Senator Rachel Ventura both asking IDOT for denial.

The full letter is below

Dear Mr. Rios: 

I am writing as the Supervisor of Jackson Township, Will County, Illinois (“Township“) and on behalf of the Township Board of Trustees regarding the Third Coast Intermodal Hub (“Third Coast“) development. As you may recall, IDOT granted East–Gate Logistics Park Chicago, LLC (“East Gate“), the developer of Third Coast, Permit #1–T–23-0352 (“Permit“), to allow automobile vehicular access only onto Illinois Route 53 from the Third Coast development. It is now the Township’s understanding that East Gate has requested IDOT to modify the Permit to allow full vehicular (including trucks) access to Illinois Route 53 from the Third Coast development. The Township also understands that the City of Joliet has sent to IDOT a letter of support for the modification to the Permit. 

On behalf of the residents of the Township, we respectfully request that IDOT deny East Gate’s request to modify the Permit to allow trucks to access Illinois Route 53 from the Third Coast development. The 2021 East Gate Annexation Agreement with the City of Joliet (“Annexation Agreement“) specifically provides that truck traffic would be limited only to a “closed–loop truck network” to direct truck traffic away from Illinois Route 53 and other local roads. This provision was specifically designed to minimize truck traffic on the surrounding community. The subject Permit was approved based upon East Gate’s and the City of Joliet’s commitment to utilize the closed–loop truck network to direct truck traffic away from Illinois Route 53 and other local roads. Modifying the Permit as requested by East Gate and supported by the City of Joliet is contrary to the Annexation Agreement and the Third Coast plats (“Plats“), which Plats have been studied and approved by IDOT. In fact, the recorded Plats state various “IDOT Access Notes” which provides that “there shall be at most one (1) Controlled with barriers (No 

Trucks allowed to IL 53 from this access) Direct Vehicular access point to IL Route 53 from Lot 6 as depicted hereon“. Allowing the Permit to be modified is allowing East Gate and Joliet to remake their Annexation Agreement and the Plats without going through the required legislative process to approve an amendment of the Annexation Agreement and Plats which, in effect, deprives the public from voicing their opinions during public comments. The facts are that the City of Joliet allowed and East Gate constructed three (3) warehouse buildings, both knowing that truck traffic could not have access to Illinois Route 53 from the Third Coast development. This is akin to knowingly breaching an agreement and then asking for permission after the fact. This request for a modification to the Permit is based on an internally created “emergency” and IDOT should not reward Joliet nor East Gate for this self-inflicted situation. 

The Joliet support letter indicates that full vehicular access will be “temporary” pending further action by the lawsuit involving Joliet, East Gate and another developer. The subject litigation in Will County, Illinois (Case No. 2022MR138) has been ongoing since May, 2022 with no end in sight and with no indication of who will prevail. The “temporary” access could be in effect for years. The subject litigation involves a binding Memorandum of Understanding entered into by and between the City of Joliet and Houbolt Road Extension JV, LLC (“MOU”). The MOU created a third truck access into the CNT Intermodal Center on a newly built bridge over the Des Plaines River. The other two (2) access routes for trucks into the CNT Intermodal Center are Laraway Road and Baseline Road (n/k/a Houbolt Road). The MOU restricts the ability of the City of Joliet to create an alternative truck access point. The City of Joliet’s “support” of East Gate’s request to modify the Permit is a clear violation of the MOU and the Temporary Restraining Order issued on April 5, 2024 by the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, Will County, Illinois. Additionally, the request of modification of Permit has been made without a full traffic study nor a study on the necessity of signalization. 

As Jackson Township Supervisor and a member of the Jackson Township Board, the Township Board’s first and only priority is the safety and well-being of the residents of Jackson Township. Illinois Route 53 is the main route traveled by the residents of Jackson Township to and from work, school, etc. Allowing more truck traffic onto Illinois Route 53 will result in making an already treacherous situation more dangerous. 

For all the reasons set forth above, the Township respectfully requests that IDOT reject all modifications to District Permit #1-T-23-0352. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at your convenience. 

Respectfully, 

Matt Robbins 

Jackson Township Supervisor