Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) will receive $1.6 million in state funding to expand its cargo operation, which already is the second largest in Pennsylvania.
The money will help to construct a northside parallel taxiway that will provide access to the expanding cargo development on the northern side of the Airport. 
"ABE continues to process record breaking air cargo volumes and serves as a critical conduit for the movement of goods in the Northeast corridor. This funding is a part of the long-term plan for operational growth and will also help enhance the current infrastructure at the airport for cargo, commercial, and general aviation operations," said Thomas R. Stoudt, Executive Director of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority.
Cargo operations at Lehigh Valley International Airport, centrally located in the Lehigh Valley, have been growing for more than a decade. In 2022, the Airport moved a record 237,946,266 pounds. Since 2014, the Airport has seen a 691% increase in air cargo growth.
The cargo expansion follows the recent expansion of the passenger terminal. The $35 million project will allow passengers to move more quickly and efficiently through security checkpoints. Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and U.S. Rep. Susan Wild joined state legislators, the mayors of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton, and other elected officials and business leaders to unveil the new terminal connector and TSA checkpoint on July 28.
“Our airports are gateways to local economies in the Commonwealth, providing Pennsylvania communities with thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in economic benefit each year,” said Mike Carroll, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. “Governor Shapiro knows that investing in infrastructure leads directly to jobs and economic progress. This state support will improve our airports, make our infrastructure more resilient and stimulate regional business.”
LVIA provides an entry point to an industrial hotspot that is within a day’s drive of one-third of the U.S. population. Well connected to interstates and intermodal, the Lehigh Valley continues to be a destination that makes and moves goods. Industrial employment – both manufacturing and logistics -- accounts for 77,000 jobs in Lehigh and Northampton counties, or nearly a quarter of total employment.
The Lehigh Valley’s economy reached a record Gross Domestic Product of $47 billion in 2021, with manufacturing leading the way for the first time in 15 years. In 2022, industrial projects made up a bulk of the Lehigh Valley’s expansion and new development projects, pushing the Lehigh Valley to the rank of No. 2 for most projects among mid-size U.S. regions. Lehigh Valley’s transportation infrastructure is key to retaining and attracting new businesses.
(Photo courtesy of Lehigh Valley International Airport)