Winona Mayor Jerry Miller says a high-speed rail project down the Mississippi River corridor means Minnesotans could be riding passengers train to places like Chicago, Detroit and St. Louis within the next 15 years.

Miller, who chairs the Minnesota High-Speed Rail Commission, says the project is moving forward.

MnDOT's study to identify environmental impacts and areas in need of additional analysis is due in late 2013.

Miller says Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has not ruled out high-speed rail with the existing route ....

MnDot says the high-speed rail line would move the conventional speed of 79 mph with one trip a day, to speeds around 110 mph with six trips a day. This would reduce the trip from the Twin Cities to Chicago by two and a half hours.