Missouri, Illinois governors want high-speed rail

By Bill Raack, KWMU

St. Louis, MO – Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn have agreed to work together to build a high-speed rail line between St. Louis and Chicago.

The governors met in St. Louis today with legislators and business leaders before signing a memorandum that pledged cooperation in pursuing federal stimulus money for the project.

Nixon says they hope to hear back soon from Washington about how much of the $8 billion set aside for high-speed rail will be available for this line. Quinn called it the "opportunity of the century" for job development and transportation improvement. But he could not say how much state money might be needed for the project.

Officials say a high-speed train between the two cities would travel about 110 miles an hour and cut the trip to less four hours.