Sterling Township Highway Department

06/04/2026

East 29th Street (Wahl Road) will be closed between Illinois 40 and 6th Avenue from approximately 7:30 am until 2:00 pm to replace a culvert near Illinois 40.

There will not be a detour in place for this project.

There will be a gravel path until such time our contractor can pave East 29th Street this summer.

Sterling Township

05/25/2026

05/05/2026

Attention Snavely Subdivision residents in the area of East 41st Street and 21st Avenue - there are two No Dumping signs at the end of 21st Avenue at the guardrail. The State statute was previously posted indicating the law that is being broken by illegally dumping, and now, burning here.

The Township provides a free weekly yard waste pickup service.

The Whiteside County Sheriff’s Department has been notified of these documented incidents.

Whoever is doing this - you are littering and breaking the law, and you are hereby on notice to cease and desist this illegal activity immediately.

If anyone is aware of who is responsible for this, they are asked to contact the Sterling Township Highway Department at 815-625-2785 and the proper legal steps will be taken.

Sterling Township

04/27/2026

Since the fall of 2025, the Sterling Township Highway Department has been noticing and monitoring illegal dumping of yard waste at the terminus of 21st Avenue, +/- 200 feet north of East 41st Street, in the Snavely Subdivision. This area is on the township's right-of-way. Some of the yard waste is encroaching on the farmer's field immediately north of the township right-of-way. The area within the red box is where the illegal dumping is occurring. Our right-of-way is not a public dumping area.

This activity is in violation of the following Illinois State Statute: https://www.ilga.gov/Documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/072000050K47-15.htm

No Dumping signs were installed at the dead end of 21st Avenue on the morning of April 27, 2026 with the hopes of stopping this illegal activity. While there are no issues the terminus of 19th Avenue, north of East 41st Street, No Dumping signs were also installed to avoid a possible future issue.

Rural Sterling Township residents are reminded of the weekly yard waste pickup service from the beginning of April through the end of November. This service is provided as a courtesy to alleviate burning in the subdivisions in the township and to reduce filling up our county landfill.

If there are any questions regarding the Sterling Township Highway Department's yard waste program, residents may call 815-625-2785.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sterling Township

03/29/2026

Yard waste pickup will begin on Monday, April 6, 2026 provided Mother Nature doesn't surprise us with some late snow or freezing drizzle - it can still happen in April. If we have inclement weather, the pickup will begin one week later on April 13th.

Do not place dirt, ashes from a burn pile or pit, cat or dog p**p or rooted plants or flowers in your personal cans. Do not overload bags or cans. Limit the weight of what you set out to not exceed 40 pounds - the weight of a bag of water softener salt, or we will not pick your yard waste up. While we use our backhoe for part of our pickup, that machine does not traverse the entire township.

We will stop picking up yard waste on the Monday after Thanksgiving - November 30th. Please note that end date.

Remember - we do this as a courtesy. We are not required by any township policy or state law to perform this. Please do not abuse these services provided.

Rural township residents are welcome to bring yard waste to our shop at 1807 Griswold Avenue at any time.

Information on the yard waste program can be found at: https://sterlingtownship.com/highway/

If you have any questions, please call 815-625-2785.

Sterling Township

03/29/2026

Do you understand and know how your real estate taxes are calculated in Whiteside County and where your tax money goes?Join us on Tuesday, April 14 at 6:00 PM for our Public Informational Tax Meeting to to learn more about the Property Tax Cycle.

We hope to see you there!

03/24/2026

Please note the date and the instructions.

Sterling Township

The Whiteside County Highway Department in coordination with the IEPA will be hosting a Household Hazardous Waste Event on Saturday, April 25th from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please note that those wanting to drop off any materials should register at the website shown in the attached flyer to schedule a drop-off time prior to the day of the event. If you need any additional information please contact the IEPA or the Whiteside County Highway Department.

Update: The link in the flyer is to the list of events on the IEPA website. This site will eventually be a link to the sign-up site or you may use the link to the site below to sign up for a drop-off time:

https://signup.com/go/TMvsfzy

03/17/2026

Most Sterling Township north-south roads remain snow covered from continued blow snow from winds out the northwest. This has also impacted a few east-west roads as well. Township snow plows will once again tackle the drifted roads on Tuesday morning beginning at 5 am. Please be aware of the snow removal activities, and remember not to crowd the plow.

Sterling Township

03/16/2026

With the forecasted winter storm predicted to hit our area Sunday night, March 15th and Monday, March 16th, the township highway department will begin clearing roads at 4:00 am on Monday morning, March 16th. We will have six or seven trucks working to keep the roads open to traffic as much as possible. However, with the winds like they are supposed to be, we will facing drifting on all north-south and east-west roads.

There will be a time where we will have to pull a few of our trucks off of the roads for a few hours because the highway department is responsible for setting up voting equipment for the Primary Election on Tuesday, March 17th. This process takes 3 to 4 hours to complete for all of the 18 voting precincts within Sterling Township.

Based on the wind forecast, we should finish up clearing the roads by sundown on Monday - just in time for some more snow on Tuesday night - a lot less though.

The township highway department asks that all personal vehicles be removed from all roadways to make our job easier and safer.

If you don't have to travel on Monday, please don't. If you do need to travel, please drive carefully.

Sterling Township

03/16/2026

The Sterling Township Highway Department enacted an ordinance pertaining to mailboxes, landscaping near the ends of driveways, driveway markers in the rural areas of the township on January 28, 2026. Sections VI and VII are sections that residents should pay close attention to. Township residents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with this entire ordinance.

This ordinance has been posted on the Sterling Township website since January 28, 2026. Residents are being reminded of this ordinance, if they are not already familiar with it, due to the pending snowstorm set to hit on area on Sunday night, March 15th and Monday, March 16th.

Should a mailbox which conforms with the ordinance be damaged by township equipment - not snow coming off the snow plow or wing plow - during snow removal operations, please call the highway department or email the highway department at [email protected]

If there are any questions, please contact the Sterling Township Highway Department at 815-625-2785.

https://sterlingtownship.com/ordinance-no-2026-1/

Sterling Township