This represents more than half of the road miles in the state.

Road and Bridge Maintenance – Townships collectively maintain approximately 71,000 miles of Illinois roads.Property Assessment – The Township Assessor sets property values for all properties within the township.General Assistance – Offer food, shelter or emergency relief for people in need until they become self-supporting or qualify for other forms of assistance.Illinois townships are required by law to perform three functions: In many rural areas, townships are the only unit of government available to provide social services and road maintenance. It is the form of government that operates in close proximity to the people it serves. Township government operates at local levels and was designed to serve the basic needs of the community.

For example, a large city may contain several townships while one township may encompass several small towns. Townships are individual geographic areas that are separate from cities and counties. There are currently 1,433 townships in the state serving more than eight million residents. Today, 85 of the 102 counties in Illinois operate under the township form of government. Township government was launched in 1849, after the Illinois Constitution of 1848 allowed voters in each county to choose to establish township governments or a county commission form of government without township units. This purely grassroots democratic process was utilized at town meetings, when residents of surrounding areas would come together to discuss important issues and establish laws. American settlers dating back to 1636 instituted this form of government to escape European autocratic governance. Townships are the oldest form of government that continues to operate today.

What dupage township am i in