ROCHESTER — A proposed high-speed rail line linking Rochester and the Twin Cities has gotten a boost.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Intercity Passenger Rail Forum is recommending that the city of Rochester get $2 million for design and pre-engineering work for the proposed rail corridor.

The group offered its recommendation Monday on how MnDOT should spend $26 million allocated by the state Legislature last year for high-speed rail.

Omsted County Commissioner Ken Brown tells the Post-Bulletin the recommendation “gets us off the starting line and into the game.”

The final decision on how the money gets parceled out is up to MnDOT.

Olmsted County initially had sought $3 million in funding, but agreed to compromise at $2 million.