Joliet Waste Management

JOLIET – Waste Management is seeking to expand its Laraway Road site in Joliet Township for a second time in less than a decade in efforts to extend the company’s landfill capacity life through 2031.

Waste Management has submitted an application to Will County seeking approval for a 606-acre expansion of its Laraway Road site – about two miles west of Route 53, and directly west and southwest of the intersection of Laraway and Patterson Roads, according to the application filed July 10. The expansion includes two areas to the north and south of the existing site.

The north section targeted for expansion calls for a 70.4-acre horizontal expansion and a 40.6-acre vertical expansion. The south section consists of a 23.5-acre horizontal expansion and a 69.1-acre vertical expansion.

Negative impacts on traffic would be minimal, with peak hours for site-generated traffic occurring at different times from street traffic, according to a traffic study attached to the application. To minimize the impact, Waste Management plans to relocate the entrance to the north side of the existing site entrance, aligning directly with Laraway Road.

The expansion site is compatible with the surrounding landscape, according to the company’s application. Documents note how, within a one-mile radius, there’s mostly open space, industrial and manufacturing and agriculture.

Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Tatroe, head of the civil division of the state’s attorney’s office, made the announcement Thursday during a Will County Board meeting.

She notified board members they are acting as a “quasi-judicial body” in this case, and should remain impartial during the proceedings.

“This impacts the County Board in that it will be your responsibility to consider the application and make a decision as to whether or not to grant that. In that role you are acting as a quasi-judicial body, not as a legislative body, ” Tatroe said. “That’s important because you need to remain unbiased ... and consider all of the facts and evidence that are presented.”

Tatroe also told board members to limit conversations with the public and county staff members about the proceedings.

“Participants have a right to due process, meaning that they have a right to present their evidence, ” she said. “They also have a right to challenge evidence presented to others. In order to maintain those due process rights, you need to limit interaction with the public in regards to conversations on the substantive issues presented.