Local, state and federal officials are hailing a recently-opened addition to Lehigh Valley International Airport as an upgrade to the passenger experience, and a boost to the regional economy.
Lehigh Valley International Airport officially unveiled its new TSA checkpoint and terminal connector on Friday.
The $35 million, 40,000 square-foot project will replace the current underground security checkpoint at the airport, which was built in the early 1970s. It creates a new fourth security screening lane, implements new screening equipment, and makes the airport more ADA compliant.
Tom Stoudt, Executive Director of the Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority, spoke about the impact of the expansion on the airport’s operations.
“This $35 million infrastructure investment alleviates a number of operational challenges, but also elevates the customer experience for all of our passengers aboard Allegiant, American, Delta, and United,” Stout explained.
He said the airport’s extra screening lane will increase the throughput from 400 passengers per hour to 700. He also spoke about the expansion’s energy efficiency and its focus on safety, including the addition of an air purification system from the Lehigh Valley-based LifeAire Systems, which Stoudt said reduces airborne pathogens by 99% and cuts surface pathogens by 96%.
“We are the first airport in the world to integrate this medical-grade air purification into an airport facility,” he said.
Stoudt said the success of the expansion could be captured in three elements: service, perseverance, and commitment. He spoke about how the project was built during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, facing supply chain issues and labor shortages, and he described the airport is built to serve the community, the region, and the state.
“What a change when I stand here and think about, that in May of 2021 we held a groundbreaking ceremony for this project,” he said. “Now, just over two years later we’re standing in exactly the same location, but inside this remarkable facility.
“But make no mistake, this project wasn’t just a ‘nice to have’ addition for our airport, it was critical infrastructure that was needed to not only continue to serve our current demand, but to serve our growing region.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro called it a “good day in the Lehigh Valley,” touted the work of union members on the expansion, and said the project was a symbol of what happens when every level of government comes together, “to make meaningful investments in our communities.”
“Federal, local, and state officials worked together to get this done,” he said. “This expansion should send a clear message that Allentown, and the Lehigh Valley, are ready to drive innovation and economic opportunity on a national and global scale.”
Shapiro said his administration has a "GSD," or “get stuff done” attitude, one that he said he saw reflected in the valley.
“You have the same attitude. That grittiness, that toughness, that desire to always be better and to always get big things done.”
The state directed $13 million in funding toward the completion of ABE’s project through a variety of programs such as the Commonwealth Finance Authority Multimodal Transportation Fund, the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, and Bureau of Aviation Capital Budget.
Another portion of the project’s funding came from a local banking consortium including Fulton Bank, Peoples Security Bank, and Fidelity Bank.
Shapiro said the Lehigh Valley is one of Pennsylvania’s fastest-growing regions and an economic powerhouse. He said the new “world-class gateway” at ABE not only connects the region to the country, but also allows it to remain competitive.
“The Lehigh Valley has long been an economic leader in Pennsylvania, but let’s be frank, it’s too often had to take a back seat to some other regions in Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said. “Today, we say no longer. No longer.”
U.S. Rep. Susan Wild said ABE has been a critical piece of infrastructure and an economic driver for the region since 1946.
Like Shapiro, she said the new expansion means the region was no longer falling behind other areas of the state, and she hoped the local community, as well as travelers from across Northeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, would come to see ABE as their main airport.
“We indeed have finally made it above the radar,” Wild said. “For far too long, this area has had to play second fiddle to certain other parts of our state. Wonderful parts of our state, but we’re really happy.”
Wild said the project was one of the first to be funded, constructed, and completed through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was passed in 2021.
“That bill delivered a $5 million investment in ABE,” Wild said.
She also said her office successfully acquired an additional $600,000 in federal funding through the Community Project Funding Program, “to further support the completion of this important project.”
She also emphasized the importance of investing in infrastructure, calling it an investment in the economy, and Wild said expanding the airport’s capabilities and capacity would also mean growing the region’s reputation as a transportation hub, and more union jobs.
“There’s a difference between frivolous spending and investment,” Wild said. “This is an investment in our community, and an investment in our country.”
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg was also present at the ceremony, marking the second time he visited the site after coming to see the construction efforts in August.
He credited Wild and other lawmakers for their support for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“Let’s be very clear, we would not be here with this funding were it not for the legislation that [Wild] and so many of her colleagues supported to actually ‘put our money where our mouth is’ as a country, and say that if we’re going to remain the world’s leader in the 21st century, we need 21st century infrastructure to support it,” he said.
Buttigieg said the terminal connector and checkpoint fit into a larger “wave” of infrastructure improvements happening across the country, noting that projects are underway in Pittsburgh; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Orlando, Florida; and around 200 other airports.
“And it can’t come soon enough, because we are seeing Americans return to the skies at an extraordinary pace,” Buttigieg explained.
He said around 37,000 projects have been announced that will benefit from funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, with some already receiving funding agreements and a smaller amount having already broken ground.
But, he noted that ABE’s expansion was a personally special one.
“This is the very first one that I’ve been able to be at where we are celebrating the completion of a project that was supported partially through dollars in that infrastructure law, knowing that there are thousands more where that came from,” Buttigieg said to audience applause.
“And we are thrilled.”
In closing, Stoudt thanked all of the partners for their commitment to ensuring the completion of the expansion, and the continued success of ABE.
“Together, we have streamlined the way people will travel through ABE,” he said. “Together, we have positioned this airport for growth by investing in infrastructure. And together, we have taken the next step toward achieving our vision of being the best regional airport in North America.”
The airport said the public opening of the checkpoint and terminal connector is expected in August.
(Original air-date: 8/2/23)
