FAA to pay most of cost of redoing Columbia runway

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The Federal Aviation Administration will pay most of the cost of redoing a Columbia runway that three regional carriers are refusing to use because of safety concerns.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reports that City Manager John Glascock said Wednesday that the agency would cover 90 percent of the $400,000 to $500,000 cost of fixing a raised area on its secondary runway. The "crown" was designed to help with drainage, but airlines complained that it caused the feeling of hitting a bump during takeoff and landing.

Glascock says the FAA is responsible because the crown was built to the agency's specifications.

The issue came to a head Saturday when the three regional carriers announced they were temporarily suspending operations at the airport. The airport then closed Tuesday to make the fix.

Information from: Columbia Daily Tribune, http://www.columbiatribune.com