County Expands Paratransit Services, Board Members Question Long-Term Funding

Will County Board Meeting | December 18, 2025

Article Summary: The Will County Board approved an intergovernmental agreement with Pace to expand paratransit services county-wide for seniors and residents with disabilities. While the measure passed unanimously, some board members expressed concerns regarding the sustainability of grant-based funding.

Paratransit Agreement Key Points:

• Service Expansion: The agreement expands dial-a-ride eligibility to every township in Will County.

• Eligibility: Services are available to all residents aged 60 and over and any resident living with a disability.

• Service Area: Includes a one-mile buffer around the county boundary and access to southern Cook County for medical trips.

• Funding Concerns: Board members raised questions about backup plans should state or federal grants be reduced.

The Will County Board on Thursday, December 18, 2025, unanimously approved an intergovernmental agreement with Pace to expand paratransit services across the county.

The new agreement aims to improve mobility management by making dial-a-ride programs accessible to every township. Eligibility extends to all residents aged 60 and older and any resident living with a disability.

“Every single township, every single resident that is 60 years and over, and every resident in Will County living with a disability is now eligible to access this dial-a-ride program,” a county staff member explained during the meeting.

While supportive of the program, Board Member Steve Balich raised concerns about the long-term financial stability of the initiative, noting recent funding cuts in other transit sectors.

“We need to have a backup plan of where the money is going to come from to pay for this once the state or the federal government removes the funding, the grants, and the subsidies,” Balich said. “Once you start this program… it’s a big help to a lot of people… but at the same time, we got to know how we’re going to pay for it if we lose the grants.”

Board Member Mark Revis echoed those sentiments, encouraging staff to brainstorm contingency funding plans.

Board Member Julie Berkowicz questioned the service boundaries, specifically regarding residents in the northern part of the county who utilize medical services in neighboring DuPage County, such as in Naperville.

Staff clarified that the service map includes a one-mile buffer around the county boundary and that specific high-frequency medical locations can be added as points of interest through ongoing conversations with Pace.