Piney-Pinecreek Border Airport permanently shutting down after 70 years [Video]

An airport with a runway that spans across the Canada-U.S. border will close for good by the end of this week.

After more than 70 years, the Piney-Pinecreek Border Airport – located south of Piney, Man., more than 150 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg – is set to shut down Dec. 27.

According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), the airport was rarely used and required a lot of maintenance, specifically to its runway, apron and terminal.

It first opened in July 1953 on the U.S. side to expedite cross-border aviation traffic and fast-track customs proceedings for travellers. At that time, the runway ended where the Canadian border began.

However, in the early 1970s, a runway expansion was proposed. This meant the runway would extend into Canada, making it one of the only bi-international airports that crosses the Canada-U.S. border.

In a statement on its website, MnDOT said the international …