The Southwest Suburbs are among the fastest growing in Illinois, and with good reason. Interstates 55, 80, 88 and 355; state highways 59 and 126; and U.S. Route 30 are all easily accessible. With its close proximity to highways, airports and train stations, many businesses and residents are looking to make the southwest suburbs their new home.
Metra offers commuter rail service from Lockport to Chicago from the refurbished train station at Commerce and 13th Street. This Heritage Corridor train takes 53 minutes to reach Chicago’s Loop. Pace bus service provides transportation to Joliet, Yorktown, Midway Airport and Chicago. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, the world’s busiest, is 30 miles away. While Midway Airport is 15 miles northeast of Lockport, Lewis Airport is one mile west of the city at Route 53 and Airport Road. It offers paved runways, fuel, storage, and maintenance facilities for small aircraft.
Many of these suburbs have existed for quite some time, and their nationally registered Historic Districts boasts a unique variety of antique and specialty shops, art galleries, and award-winning restaurants.
Just 44 miles southwest of Chicago you'll find the picturesque city of Joliet, a fine representative of Chicago’s southwest suburbs. Once a small town flourishing in the Illinois prairie, Joliet now boasts a population of 94,000. This energetic, growing community is the county seat of Will County - the third fastest growing county in the country. Among its honors, Joliet was named one of 30 finalists for the 1999 All America City Award by the National Civic League.
A combination of elements is responsible for the growth and recognition experienced by Joliet. The city offers residents a nationally recognized school system, exceptional health care facilities, high quality and affordable housing, and a rich cultural and artistic community. The combination of these factors has contributed to the growth and development of this one-time prairie town.
Palos Heights, another lovely southwest suburb, is an area that has kept its familiarity with the surrounding nature and wildlife. Residents here have immediate access to the Palos and Sag Valley forest preserves, covering 15,000 acres. In addition, their community encompasses Lake Katherine Nature Preserve, a 91-acre preserve that includes Lake Katherine, the Cal-Sag Canal, Navajo Creek, and a wetlands project. Nature paths and hiking and biking trails wind through the preserve. An affluent community, Palos Heights offers a rich pallet of homes on large, beautifully landscaped lots. It is served by School District 218, a system noted for the quality of its award-winning education programs, facilities, and instructors. The village's Harlem Avenue retailing area enjoys a steady flow of customers and has been beautified recently with facade and streetscape improvements. It isn’t difficult to realize why the southwest suburbs are enjoying the growth that they are. With so much to offer, they’ve become quite a local Chicagoland hotspot.
|
