Indiana city mulls building airport runway over highway
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (AP) - A northern Indiana city is weighing a proposed airport runway extension that would be built over a busy highway.
The proposal for the Michigan City Municipal Airport would lower U.S. 20 so the airport's current 4,100-foot-long (1,250-meter-long) runway can be extended to 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) by building it over the east-west highway.
The LaPorte County Herald-Argus reports the proposed $9 million project would be built to handle corporate jets weighing up to 60,000 pounds (27,216 kilograms)
Officials hope federal and state funding will pay for the runway extension in the city that's along Lake Michigan about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Chicago.
Airport Manager Jessica Ward says the Federal Aviation Administration, Michigan City's mayor, local economic development groups and others have pledged their support for the runway expansion.
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Information from: The La Porte Herald-Argus, http://www.heraldargus.com