Officials in Illinois are investing $240-million on 2-dozen projects, designed to improve freight mobility throughout the state and relieve congestion. The Illinois Department of Transportation announced the grants on Tuesday, which should increase safety, draw private investment and improve connections between freight transportation and city commerce. Governor Bruce Rauner announced that 23 grants will be given in total, with one of them going to the Terminal Rail Association in St. Louis, at their inter-modal facility in East St. Louis. The facility will receive a grant of nearly $2-million. They are leveraging about $500,000 in private investment to re-establish previous track alignment and to eliminate conflicts with 4 nearby highway crossings. Other projects in Illinois include $34-million to rebuild and add onto the interchange of US 30 and Interstate 80, near Joliet. Another project is spending $25-million to separate auto and rail traffic, next to Decatur’s Midwest Inland Port.