Illinois spending $240M on freight-transport upgrades

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) - Illinois officials are investing $240 million in two dozen projects designed to improve freight mobility throughout the state and relieve congestion.

The Illinois Department of Transportation grants announced Tuesday should also increase safety, draw private investment and improve connections between freight transport methods and commerce.

Gov. Bruce Rauner announced 23 grants at the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis intermodal facility in East St. Louis. The facility will receive a grant of nearly $2 million. It's leveraging $500,000 in private investment to re-establish previous track alignment to eliminate conflicts with four nearby highway crossings.

Other projects include $34 million to rebuild and add on to the interchange of U.S. 30 and Interstate 80 near Joliet and $25 million to separate auto and rail traffic next to Decatur's Midwest Inland Port.