Lehigh Valley International Airport has moved record amounts of freight in each of the past four years, and a new investment by the federal government will boost operations even further.
The $40.8 million in funding was announced Jan. 22 from the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects program. That will strengthen the airport’s role in regional economic development by expanding systems that moved more than 275 million pounds of cargo last year.
The federal investment, the latest of several, will support the Northside Logistics and Cargo Complex project, which will build a new, on-airport cross dock facility, a direct truck-to-aircraft loading apron, and make road and intersection improvements to improve day-to-day operations and movement of freight.
“This funding is critical to helping the Airport Authority address an immediate need for additional air cargo capacity – which has seen approximately an 800% jump since 2014. With the airport located within the Critical Urban Freight Corridor, we anticipate our numbers will continue to trend upward as the airport is an important conduit to the movement of goods across Pennsylvania and the Northeast Region,” said Tom Stoudt, Executive Director of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority.
Lehigh Valley International Airport is a key part of the transportation network that makes the Lehigh Valley a desirable business location, particularly for manufacturers. The Lehigh Valley set a record for Gross Domestic Product in 2022, the most-recent data available, at $50.2 billion. Manufacturing made up 16% of the GDP, with more than 700 manufacturers collectively producing an economic output of $8.1 billion.
Lehigh Valley International Airport is centrally located in the region directly along U.S. Route 22 and near Interstate 78. Its cargo operations make it easy for manufacturers to move the goods they produce, and to receive materials they need.
Stoudt thanked U.S. Rep. Susan Wild and Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman for securing the funding.
“This historic funding will revolutionize the Lehigh Valley International Airport’s ability to process record-breaking amounts of cargo,” Wild said. “Our region is perfectly situated to be a hub for the transportation of critical products."
“Investing in the airport’s freight capacity will create jobs, support Lehigh Valley businesses, and boost the airport’s status as a top transportation hub in Pennsylvania,” Casey said.
“This grant will help construct a consolidated multimodal cargo facility at Lehigh Valley International Airport that will significantly improve day-to-day operations and the movement of freight, leading to a stronger regional economy,” Fetterman said.
The federal government has invested significantly in Lehigh Valley International Airport in recent years. It has received more than $95 million in federal funding since the start of 2021, including for a terminal expansion that opened last year with a larger security checkpoint area and terminal connector.
Pennsylvania also has supported Lehigh Valley International Airport. Last year, the state provided a $1.6 million grant for cargo operations.
(Photo courtesy of Lehigh Valley International Airport)