Columbia airport to study runway expansion

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - Plans are moving forward for the possible expansion of runways at Columbia Regional Airport with an eye to accommodating larger planes.

The City Council approved an agreement this week with Burns & McDonnell to provide engineering services for runway expansion and other projects at the airport for the next five years.

Airport manager Andrew Schneider says plans call for lengthening the 6,500-foot primary runway by 500 feet. The second runway would be lengthened from 4,400 to 5,500 feet.

The Columbia Missourian reports the project would let Delta Air Lines' 50-passenger regional jets use either runway. The longer landing strips would also accommodate larger planes if Delta decided to use them - and could attract a new carrier that only flies larger planes.

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Information from: Columbia Missourian, http://www.columbiamissourian.com