Durbin, Kinzinger, Kelly: We Support NorthPoint Joliet

JOLIET, IL — With the Joliet City Council's decision on NorthPoint Development's Compass Business Park nearing, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin along with U.S. Representatives Adam Kinzinger and Robin Kelly are now publicly endorsing the project for Joliet.

A press release issued Sunday night announced the three members of Illinois' Congressional delegation want Joliet's City Council to approve NorthPoint.

The regular council meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Joliet's City Hall. However, on Monday morning, WJOL news radio station reported that Mayor Bob O'Dekirk is postponing the discussion on the NorthPoint proposal and that more information was expected later in the day. The regular meeting would go on as scheduled, but the NorthPoint vote will not be held Tuesday night.

As for the Congressional delegates who want NorthPoint to happen, Durbin and Kelly are both Democrats. Kinzinger is a Republican.

“Will County is fast becoming an economic engine for Illinois as consumers change how they purchase their retail goods,” Durbin said in Sunday's press release. “Compass Business Park is a responsible solution that would create thousands of new jobs while addressing transportation needs and mitigating truck traffic.”

According to proponents, Compass Business Park would create up to 1,600 union construction jobs and 2,300 indirect jobs annually during the construction period.

There would be up to 10,000 full-time and 17,000 indirect full-time permanent positions upon full build out.

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“NorthPoint’s plan to build Compass Business Park would encourage smart growth, boost economic development and bring jobs and revenue back to Illinois,” Kinzinger said. “The closed loop system and the privately funded bridge would prohibit trucks from gaining access onto Route 53, which would ultimately reduce truck congestion for residents, commuters and visitors to the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.”

Congresswoman Kelly also praised Joliet's proposed Compass Business Park for being able to create more jobs and revenue for the greater Southland area.

“Spurring economic development, creating jobs and investing in our outdated infrastructure is a shared goal,” Kelly said in her statement. “Construction of Compass Business Park meets those goals, aligns with existing infrastructure priorities and would deliver the needed economic opportunities to the Southland.”

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Joliet Patch previously reported that Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush, whose district includes the proposed project, endorsed Compass Business Park last month.

Proponents of the NorthPoint Development insist that NorthPoint's construction of a closed-loop transportation network will keep trucks off local roads and Route 53.

Since NorthPoint initially unveiled plans for Will County, there has been a strong and vocal opposition group, mostly in the areas of Manhattan and Elwood. The Just Say No To NorthPoint coalition is urging its followers to make sure they attend Tuesday's Joliet City Council meeting that starts at 6:30 p.m.

"The result of unplanned, irresponsible development is quickly becoming apparent as traveling through our area becomes more and more dangerous. NorthPoint Development’s project is unprecedented in size — stretching 5 miles from east to west and 3 miles north to south, covering nearly 3,000 acres. It would only serve to further harm local communities and the I-80-55 Corridor," the opposition group states on its website.

People who don't want NorthPoint to build its large scale business park around Joliet are being asked to vote early during Tuesday's Illinois primary to ensure they can attend the meeting at Joliet's City Council.

"Another option if you absolutely cannot make March 17th is to show up at pre-council on March 16th, which starts at 5:30 p.m.," the opposition group's website states.

On Friday, Joliet's interim city manager Steve Jones disseminated an 8-minute-long YouTube video produced by NorthPoint that shows off its existing project, Logistics Park Kansas City.

The video was sent to Joliet news reporters, city officials and the Joliet City Council.