The Northstar Commuter Rail will not be extended to St. Cloud, at least for now. Calling it a “responsible action as stewards of taxpayer money,” the Northstar Corridor Development Authority says it cannot justify the costs of expanding the commuter rail at this time. Plans for a commuter rail from the twin cities to St. Cloud have been in the works for more than a dozen years. The rail, which opened one year ago, currently runs from downtown Minneapolis to Big Lake, 30 miles southeast of St Cloud. Extending the line from Big Lake to St. Cloud is still the ultimate goal for Northstar, just not in the near future.