Action on Airport Delayed

The Waterloo City Council has postponed action on a proposal to permanently shut down the shortest of the local airport’s three landing strips. The airport director has recommended closing the runway because of safety and liability concerns. Federal officials have said they won’t provide any money because the airport’s other two runways can handle nearly all of the traffic. But several pilots told the council Tuesday that the runway is important for companies that use smaller aircraft to shuttle workers to other locations. The runway also is a safe alternative when high winds make it harder to access the two primary runways.