<H1>An Alternative Airport</H1> St. Louis - Mid-America Airport, whose builders say it will provide an alternative to crowded Lambert Field, is taking shape in suburban St. Clair County, Ill., moving toward an October 1997 opening date.
Despite some weather-related construction delays, the airport's 8,000-foot runway and $7.6 million, 195-foot control tower are on schedule for the 1997 opening, according to St. Clair County transportation director Robert Coverdale.
The airport project gained momentum recently when the Department of Transportation said it intends to fund a $350 million, 27-mile MetroLink extension that will transport passengers from downtown St. Louis to the new airport, located near Belleville, Ill. MetroLink already offers air travelers the ability to ride between Lambert Field and downtown St. Louis for $1.