Just days after unveiling its new expansion, Lehigh Valley International Airport has received over a million dollars in state funding for additional improvements.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that $1,637,500 will be invested in Lehigh Valley International Airport.
A PennDOT release said the money will be used to continue the construction of LVIA’s northside parallel taxiway. The taxiway will provide access to the expanding cargo development on the northern side of the airport.
This investment is part of $10 million in state funding that will is being awarded to public use airports for facility improvements, infrastructure preservation and development.
In a July 18 statement, the airport said it processed 21,972,614 pounds of air cargo this June, up 25.8% from June 2022.
LVIA also said earlier this year that it processed a record amount of air cargo in 2022, totaling 237,945,266 pounds, a 2.4% increase over 2021.
“ABE continues to process record-breaking air cargo volumes and serves as a critical conduit for the movement of goods in the northeast corridor,” Tom Stoudt, Executive Director of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, said in a statement released by State Sen. Nick Miller, D-Lehigh/Northampton.
“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.”
According to the 2022 Pennsylvania Aviation Economic Impact Study, Lehigh Valley International is the second largest commercial service airport by air cargo volume in Pennsylvania, as well as the fourth largest by passenger activity.
The airport is served by two air cargo operators, Amazon Air and FedEx Express, as well as four airlines: Allegiant, American, Delta, and United.
Last Friday, local, state, and federal officials, including Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and Congresswoman Susan Wild, celebrated the unveiling of Lehigh Valley International’s new $35 million, 40,000 square foot TSA checkpoint and terminal connector project.
The airport also recently announced the launch of a new nonstop service on Allegiant Air connecting the Lehigh Valley to Melbourne Orlando International Airport in Florida, beginning Nov. 17.
(Original air-date: 8/4/23)
