fbpx

Tag: airport

  Lehigh Valley’s growth makes transportation upgrades necessary 

The Lehigh Valley’s population is growing and it’s growing rapidly. 

That was the message from Becky Bradley, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. 

She spoke Wednesday at the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Transportation Forum at Mack Truck in Allentown. 

With a Gross Domestic Product of $49 billion – more than some states – the Lehigh Valley is attracting people to the tune of about 4,000 new residents a year. 

To keep that growth as a positive and not a negative thing, she said the region needs to be proactive in preparing for that growth. 

“Change is occurring and it’s inevitable,” Bradley said. 

She said traffic patterns and employment profiles are going to be significantly impacted as the region grows both in industry and population. 

She said, for example, there are currently 96,000 people employed in the manufacturing and transportation industry, second only to the number of people employed by the health care sector. 

And she said they are sectors that continue to grow. 

She said the planning commission predicts that in the next six years the Lehigh Valley could have almost another 44 million square feet of industrial production in operation. 

The increases in the manufacturing and transportation industries will have the largest impact on bridges and traffic. 

And officials in the region are looking at the places where new industry and a larger population will impact the transportation infrastructure. 

The Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANTA) is looking to bring efficiency to its routes to better get people from where they live to where they work. 

The Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority (LNAA) is almost 90% finished with its $35 million airport improvements to Lehigh Valley International Airport, which includes a new terminal connector and added TSA lanes to speed the process of getting travelers to their destination. 

The Lehigh Valley International Airport also added direct flights to Denver on June 14 and is still looking to attract airlines to serve cities such as Boston, Las Vegas, Orlando and San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

Passenger rail is another improvement to the region’s transportation infrastructure that is being investigated, but officials warn they’re very early in the process. 

Bradley said the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation recently invested $300 thousand in a feasibility study to bring passenger rail service between the Lehigh Valley and the New York City/Newark area. 

PennDOT will be studying what current infrastructure exists now and what kind of improvements will need to be made. 

“This is before we can even get in line for rail development,” Bradley said. After all the work, she said it may still not come to fruition. 

Of course, the Lehigh Valley’s roadways are still the heart of transportation in the region and Mike Rebert, PennDOT’s deputy secretary for highway administration, said the department is investing in a $90 million, multi-year transportation study to assess repair and expansion needs. 

“We want to catch problems before they get bigger,” Rebert said, referring to the long repair job that will be needed after the recent I-95 bridge collapse in Philadelphia, which will have a major negative impact on traffic throughout the corridor. 

He said it’s important to address the structural integrity of the state’s bridges and roadways before there’s a catastrophe.  

He said with current supply chain issues, the already long process of repairing the bridge will take even longer. He noted that it will take at least two-and-a-half months to get the steel beams needed for the project, before work can begin. 

Rebert said work is needed in the western part of the Lehigh Valley right now. He said that the Route 222 bypass has succeeded in bringing new business and people to that part of Lehigh and Berks counties, but that growth has now necessitated additional road work to handle the added traffic in the area. 

He said there are several projects planned for the stretch of I-78 that goes through the Lehigh Valley including upgrading interchanges and widening the roadway where possible. 

Another major undertaking, which could get underway in 2025 is the widening of the 378/Hill to Hill Bridge in Bethlehem to ease traffic into the city’s south side. 

Bradley also pointed to the environmental impact of the region’s growth and care needs to be taken to protect the Lehigh Valley’s air and water quality. 

She said the region’s electric vehicle infrastructure is something that is being worked on, with PennDOT saying it’s shooting to have EV stations available every 50 miles on the state’s highways. 

But Bradley said everything must be on the table. 

“We really have to look at the infrastructure system differently,” she said. 

Central Pa., Lehigh Valley airport projects get state money 

Five airports in central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley were among the recipients of $10 million total in state investments, announced Monday by Gov. Tom Wolf, through the Aviation Transportation Assistance Program. 

Overall, funds were earmarked for 12 projects at 10 airports. 

“Aviation plays a vital role in keeping our state’s economy moving,” Wolf said in a release. “These investments will help Pennsylvania’s airports operate safely, expand to meet current demands, and sustain growth well into the future.” 

Approved aviation projects included: 

  • Berks County, Reading Regional/Carl A. Spaatz Field – $3 million for air operations hangar complex infrastructure to accommodate the growth of an existing airport tenant.
  • Cumberland County, Carlisle Airport – $524,000 for design and construction of a terminal building to further continued economic development.
  • Lancaster County, Lancaster Airport – $750,000 to complete corporate hangar infrastructure to accommodate the growth of an existing airport tenant and provide space for a new operation relocating there.
  • Lehigh County, Lehigh Valley International Airport – $1.76 million to continue terminal connector and security checkpoint expansion and to enhance terminal commercial development connectivity.
  • York County, Capital City Airport – $150,000 for rehabilitation of airfield hangar roofs and structural reinforcement to repair rusted sheeting.

LVIA debuts new corporate hangar, boosts competitive advantage

Hangar 11, a 54,000-square-foot corporate hangar, is now open at Lehigh Valley International Airport. PHOTO/COURTESY LNAA –

 

Hangar 11 is now open for business.

Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority officials cut the ribbon on a new $16.3 million Hangar 11, that will be used for corporate and general aviation.

The demand for corporate aircraft space is strong in the Northeast corridor, particularly among companies looking at places in the Valley, said Thomas Stoudt, executive director of LNAA.

With the new hangar LVIA can now compete with New Jersey airports in Teterboro and Morristown for corporate clients.

“Opening these hangar doors starts the next exciting chapter for general aviation at ABE. We are appreciative of the continual support from our regional delegation in Harrisburg. If you search the Northeast corridor, hangar space is extremely limited. We are confident that Hangar 11 delivers a competitive advantage in attracting new tenants which strengthens economic growth within the Lehigh Valley,” Stoudt said.

The hangar is equipped to accommodate the latest generation of corporate jets – up to the G-650, which is a 100,000-pound aircraft. The 54,000-square-foot hangar was funded, in part, by an $8.8 million grant from the PennDOT Bureau of Aviation.

“During very challenging times in aviation across the country, and especially in Pennsylvania due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the unveiling of Hangar 11 is an encouraging story that still shows the continued strong economic growth at the Lehigh Valley International Airport. The Bureau of Aviation’s Transportation Assistance Program has provided over $8.8 million for the site development, design, and construction of the hangar, apron, and adjacent parking lot,” said Anthony J. McCloskey, director of PennDOT Bureau of Aviation.

This is the first hangar constructed at ABE since 2006.

A number of regional companies participated in the construction of Hangar 11.

Grace Industries Inc. of Bath was the general contractor.

Boro Construction of King of Prussia handled electric. Guy M. Cooper Inc. of Willow Grove handled the plumbing and Shannon A. Smith Inc. of Myerstown handled the HVAC.

LVIA passenger traffic falls 42% from COVID-19 travel restrictions

Lehigh Valley International Airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. PHOTO/FILE –

As expected, passenger traffic at Lehigh Valley International Airport dropped dramatically in March, breaking a 29-month streak of month-over-month growth at the airport.

Thomas Stoudt, executive director of the Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority, said the nearly 42 percent drop in passenger traffic was reflective of what most airports of LVIA’s size were experiencing across the country as the nation limited non-essential travel and implemented social distancing protocol to protect against the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

“Certainly, it’s not a surprise to see the numbers here. I hate to say it, but we’re about average. This is pretty consistent with what we all saw.”

Passenger traffic was 44,478 for March 2020 as compared to 75,612 in March of 2019.

Stoudt said most of the drop off in traffic was in the second two weeks of the month, but traffic had already begun to decline earlier in the month after a strong February.

Stoudt said the airport, in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, was anticipating the downturn and had been in talks since January on what they should expect. He said staff is also keeping an eye out for what kinds of passenger traffic the airport can expect for the next few months.

“With restrictions and social distancing, this is foreshadowing what is coming in April and certainly May,” Stoudt said.

By looking at the number of people coming through the gates, he is already anticipating the passenger traffic decrease to double from March into April, and expects decreased traffic through at least June. United Airlines has already informed the airport that it would be operating on a reduced schedule in June.

“People are listening. They’re not flying unless essential travel is included,” Stoudt said. “It sounds odd, but it’s encouraging that people are doing the right thing and staying home and staying safe.”

But with less passenger traffic comes less revenue. Stoudt said the authority has had to cut operating expenses, and postponed some non-critical infrastructure work and has opted to finance rather than pay cash for other projects it had planned.

The authority has not furloughed any staff so far, he said, noting that many operations at the airport are safety-related and must be performed regardless of the number of flights. There have been some furloughs of roughly 60 staff who volunteered to take leave or needed to stay home during the crisis.

The authority employs about 280.

The authority anticipates about $6.2 million in relief from the federal government through the CARES Act for COVID-19 related costs and losses. Some of that money will pay for planned infrastructure projects, and provide about a two-month bridge of revenue that will help with payroll, maintenance, operational expenses and debt service.

Meanwhile there is a bright spot for the authority. While passenger traffic is up, cargo traffic remains strong.

“And I think that will continue to remain strong,” Stoudt said.

The pandemic has led to a sharp uptick in online ordering, a consumer habits that was already trending upward, and airline cargo has been trending higher as a result.

Stoudt said he knows there are some difficult times ahead at the airport, but he said the authority has seen tough times before and he expect to weather this tough time as well.

“We know how to tighten our belts,” he said.

COVID-19 ends LVIA’s 30-month growth pattern

Lehigh Valley International Airport is implementing social distancing practices at its TSA terminal. (PHOTO/SUBMITTED) –

Lehigh Valley International Airport was on a path to potentially see more than a million passengers this year.

Then, COVID-19 arrived.

The rapidly changing and spreading virus upended nearly 30 consecutive months of positive passenger traffic and put a financial strain on the airport as it continues operating and providing services.

“There is going to be a significant financial impact to ourselves, all airports across the country, all carriers,” said Thomas Stoudt, executive director of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority. “Six months ago, we had pilot shortages, now passenger shortages.”

He declined to provide any financial indication of how much of an impact the virus has had so far on the airport’s operations.

The only pay reductions the airport is putting in place right now are from directors and senior managers. A dozen employees volunteered to take a 10% pay cut, but no layoffs are planned, he said.

The airport’s cargo operations remain active.

“We are still getting air cargo coming and going,” Stoudt said. “I’m sure there’s significant demand for packages.”

For airline carriers, the demand has just evaporated, Stoudt said.

One of LIVA’s four carriers, Allegiant Air, has cut about 15% of its capacity for April and May at the airports it serves, but more reductions will come and the cancellations are occurring across its network, said Sonya Pagdett, spokesperson for Allegiant Air, in a statement.

It was only a month ago that the Airport celebrated the arrival of Allegiant Air’s $50 million aircraft base, which brought new routes for air travelers and more than 60 employees.

Allegiant’s investment came at a time of continued strong growth in economic activity at the Hanover Township, Lehigh County-based airport, which has seen month after month of increased passenger traffic and officials sharing hopes of getting more than a million passengers traveling through the airport this year.

Now, Allegiant’s planning team is consolidating demand by cutting flights where it has other capacity for passengers to be re-accommodated easily, Pagdett said. As an example, that could apply to routes Allegiant offers multiple times per day or week. However, that will not always be possible moving forward, she said.

If Allegiant cancels flights, she said the carrier would notify customers directly and provide options.

On March 23, LVIA had 100 passengers going through the checkpoint. Typically, the airport gets 1,500 to 1,600 passengers per day, Stoudt said.

Before March, the airport had 29 consecutive months of passenger growth, said Colin Riccobon, spokesperson for the LNAA.

“It may be temporary,” Riccobon said. “It’s still going to be a road to recovery and it’s going to take some time and patience.”

Flights are still running with many vacant seats on board, but all of the airport’s food and concession services are very limited, he said. Furthermore, Trans-Bridge stopped its bus operations, which means service to the airport stopped as well.

About four years ago, the airport authority was struggling to stay afloat financially and has since rebounded through a number of initiatives. Those gains have left the airport authority in a better position to weather this crisis, Stoudt said.

Although the airport now has about 100 passengers coming a day, it has increased its cleaning and sanitizing practices and these costs have risen in some cases, Stoudt said.

“We are doing our part to make sure we are protecting people,” Stoudt said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lehigh Valley International Airport reports 28 months of passenger growth

Lehigh Valley International Airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. PHOTO/FILE –

While the first two months of the year generally trend lower for travel, Lehigh Valley International Airport  is reporting an increase in passenger traffic for January.

The airport, in Hanover Township, Lehigh County saw an 11.7% increase in travel over January of the prior year with 61,309 passengers traveling through the airport as compared to 54,895 in January 2019.

The authority noted that it was the 28th consecutive month of passenger traffic growth.

“Previous travel trends at ABE demonstrated a slowdown in passenger traffic during January and February, but the momentum we’ve sustained for over two years isn’t showing signs of slowing down,” said Thomas R. Stoudt, executive director, Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority.

Recent additions to the airport include Allegiant Travel Co. opening a $50 million aircraft base there. A number of new destinations were also added over the course of the past year, which contributed to the growth.

Allegiant reported a significant passenger traffic increase of 31%, while American jumped 9% and United was up 4%. Meanwhile, Delta slightly declined in traffic for the month by 4.1%

Airport authority seeks FAA approval on nearly 300-acre development

This image shows the flight path property that Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority is planning to develop in Hanover Township, Northampton County. The authority chose Majestic Realty to build a potential business park on farmland at the corner of Airport and Schoenersville roads. The authority owns the land and wants to enter into a long-term lease. (Submitted) –

After negotiating for about two years, the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority and Bethlehem developer Majestic Realty have reached an agreement on the development of a business park.

Since late 2017, the two parties have been negotiating on plans to develop nearly 300 acres across from Lehigh Valley International Airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. The airport authority, which owns the land, had been seeking a developer to lease the space and create a business park on the site.

On Tuesday, the authority approved the terms of the agreement with Majestic and will submit those documents to the Federal Aviation Administration for their approval. If the FFA approves, however, several more approvals will be needed before construction can begin.

“Now it gives us the opportunity to go to the FAA and discuss those terms and submit them for review,” said Thomas Stoudt, executive director of the LNAA. “This gives us an opportunity to work through those discussions.”

The site is comprised of 297 acres east of Race Street along Airport Road near the intersection with Schoenersville Road in Hanover Township, Northampton County.

With the airport authority board’s sign off on the material terms of the agreement, Stoudt said the authority would reach out to FAA to schedule a discussion that would allow the staff to start that process.

If FAA grants its approval, construction on the site could potentially start next year.

“Because there are so many variables, I think we are safe to say, next year, for sure, but it’s really going to depend on FAA’s approval,” Stoudt said. “We will be working individually with the developer to identify what that development will look like.”

The land’s zoning addresses noise sensitive uses, height restrictions and other uses the township was comfortable with, Stoudt said. In addition, the township changed the zoning in the past so that it would be favorable to both the airport and the township, he added.

Stoudt declined to provide a cost estimate of how much the authority would collect if the FAA approves the deal.

“We will be working through the timing of those things and that’s all going to factor into the numbers,” Stoudt said.

Flying High: LVIA 2019 passenger traffic highest in 15 years

Lehigh Valley International Airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County had the highest passenger traffic in 2019 in 15 years. (File photo) –

 

911,970 — That’s the number of passengers that flew out of Lehigh Valley International Airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County last year.

It’s 15 percent higher than 2018 and it’s the highest number of passengers since 2004 when the airport saw 1.25 million passengers through its gates.

Traffic at the airport began dropping in the mid-2000s when major airlines restructured their flight patterns that left many airports such as LVIA, out of the loop.

Thomas R. Stoudt, executive director of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, said he doesn’t believe the demand ever went away for flights out of the airport, just the availability of flights to the places the public wanted to go.

“One of the reasons [for the increase in traffic] is the airlines are adding that capacity to the airport. The demand, I think, has always been there, but now there’s flights.” he said.

Stoudt noted that last year American Airlines added flights to Chicago and Allegiant Airlines added three new destinations: Nashville, Savannah/Hilton Head and Sarasota, which significantly added to the passenger increase.

Besides the new flights, highlights during the year included the addition of four air service additions. In addition Allegiant chose LVIA as it 18th aircraft base and plans were introduced for a $22 million TSA checkpoint expansion and terminal connector.

High Hopes

911,970 is also a number that’s giving those who run the airport hope that passenger traffic could exceed 1 million again for 2020.

“Can we get there in 2020?” Stoudt asked. “It’s a possibility, but there are plenty of factors beyond our control. We just want to express our thanks and appreciation to every passenger, stakeholders, and staff for an amazing year.”

The airport authority is planning for future growth.

“We just have to make sure we have the facilities to meet the demand,” Stoudt said.

Late last year, the authority introduced a master plan update to meet the expected demand and improve the customer experience at the airport to help give it a competitive edge. The plan is a multi-year and multi-phase project.

Phase one is the Main Terminal TSA Checkpoint, Connector, and Vertical Circulation upgrades which has an expected project duration of approximately three years with a total cost of approximately $22 million.

Future Path

Stoudt said the authority also has a wish list of flight destinations it would like to add in the future to further the airport’s growth. One destination mentioned by the authority before is Puerto Rico.

“San Juan is certainly still on the radar. For us, it’s finding the right airline partner. When I look at this region I certainly see a demand for the service,” Stoudt said.

Other destinations on the wish list are the Washington, D.C. area, Boston and an airport farther west, perhaps in Texas.

“We just need to find the right airline partners that can offer an attractive fare structure,” he said.

 

 

 

LVIA surpasses last year’s travel numbers

The year isn’t quite over, but Lehigh Valley International Airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County said it has already surpassed last year’s passenger traffic.

The airport saw 792,974 travelers for all of 2018. It had reached more than 800,000 travelers by the end of November of this year.

November had 71,098 passengers using the airport, a 2.43 percent increase over the 69,414 who traveled through LVIA in November 2018.

The airport expects to have a busy December, which is typical during the holidays.

Thomas Stoudt, executive director of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, said for the most part the weather has helped with the higher passenger traffic numbers.

“Even with a temporary reduction of service to Chicago – that typically happens as airlines prepare for unsettled weather in the Midwest – ABE still delivered a very strong month of traffic by Allegiant and American. We’re hoping that momentum carries us to the finish line of a memorable year,” said Stoudt.

Allegiant reported a passenger traffic increase of 28.9 percent, while American jumped 17.1 percent. Delta declined in traffic for the month by 5.9 percent and United experienced a sharp drop of 34 percent, due to a scheduled removal of one daily flight to Chicago.

This was the 26th consecutive month that the airport saw a growth in traffic.

LVIA reports passenger growth continues

Lehigh Valley International Airport said it’s had consistent growth for 25 straight months now. It is reporting 77,794 passengers traveled through the airport in October, that’s an 11.56 percent increase over October of last year.

“ABE has already served over 760,000 passengers which equates to 16 percent growth year to date. We anticipate another busy holiday travel season and our staff is excited to ensure a comfortable environment for travelers using their neighborhood airport which includes the return of the holiday concert series featuring local schools and the festival of trees,” said Thomas R. Stoudt, executive director, Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority.

Of the airlines at the airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, American reported a passenger traffic increase of 28.7 percent, while Allegiant jumped 15.1 percent, and United was up 4.3 percent.  Delta posted a decline in traffic of 2.5 percent.

Stoudt said the growth in passenger traffic is expected to continue. He pointed to the addition of new flights to Sarasota/Bradenton, Florida early next year, Allegiant moving its crew base operation to the Airport in February and a $22 million TSA Checkpoint and Vertical Circulation improvement project being planned as potential contributors to future growth.

With $50M investment, Allegiant aims to expand its presence at Lehigh Valley airport

A representative from Allegiant Travel Co, said it would establish an aircraft base at Lehigh Valley International Airport, set to begin operations in February 2020.

The base would be Allegiant’s 18th and bring at least 66 new jobs for pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and others this spring, said Hilarie Grey, managing director of corporate communications for Allegiant.

Thomas Stoudt, executive director of the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority speaks at an announcement regarding Allegiant establishing a base at Lehigh Valley International Airport. (Photo By Brian Pedersen) –

Allegiant will establish a two-aircraft base that would begin operations Feb. 12. Officials made the announcement on Tuesday morning at PPL Center in Allentown.

The $50 million that the company is investing will go toward aircraft, maintenance and tooling, and ground service equipment, she said.

Allegiant did receive some state and regional incentives to encourage them to choose LVIA as a base, she said.

Overall, Allegiant received about $500,000 from the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, the state Department of Community & Economic Development and Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp., Grey said.

Sen. Pat Browne confirmed that there was a public finance component to the deal and that there was a competition among other carriers to land a base at the airport.

Browne helped get the state involved in the effort and secured a state grant to encourage Allegiant to choose the airport.

Though the Las Vegas-based company has been a carrier at the Hanover Township, Lehigh County-based airport since 2005, the move would expand its presence at the airport, with the potential to add more routes.

“It gives us that flexibility to add more,” Grey said. “We will be able to build more frequencies. Demand is pointing to this region because it’s growing. Lehigh Valley has been a great success story for a long time.”

Many businesses appear to be moving into the region and like the convenience of a hometown airport, she added.

Grey said whenever Allegiant adds routes, those airline seats fill and Allegiant only flies nonstop, point-to-point destinations.

“Our team members will be spending more time living and working in the Lehigh Valley,” Grey said.

The carrier has routes in 120 cities and has 450 ongoing routes across the U.S., Grey said.

Additionally, it employs more than 4,300 workers across the country.

With the flexibility that a new base would bring for Allegiant, Grey said the carrier would likely be announcing additional flights.

Since it began operating at LVIA, the carrier now offers seven nonstop destinations, said Tom Stoudt, executive director of the Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority.

He noted that Allegiant has already supported regional initiatives at the airport, including events such as Wings for All, which helps people with autism spectrum disorders and other disabilities adjust to flying.

The company’s efforts have helped make the airport a critical asset, he added.

“With the ABE [LVIA] family growing, it’s a good indicator of the economy when an airport is successful,” Stoudt said.

Don Cunningham, president and CEO of LVEDC, said the airport’s growth also speaks to the overall growth of the region.

“The more vibrant that an airport is, the more flights, the more connectivity to the outside world…that’s a really critical asset to economic growth and community development,” Cunningham said.

The establishment of an Allegiant base at the airport doesn’t require new construction, since there is space under the departure building to add staff, Stoudt said. The airport will fit out the space for their needs.

Airport authority receives more than $20M in grants

The award of four federal aviation grants totaling more than $20 million will help Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority complete several large infrastructure projects.

The Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority received federal grants that will help it rehabilitate Runway 6-24 at Lehigh Valley International Airport. (File photo) –

On Tuesday, LNAA officials agreed to accept four grants totaling $20,786,225 from the Federal Aviation Administration, with funds coming from the federal Airport Improvement Program.

The federal agency packaged the majority of funding into three different grants for the second part of construction of the Runway 6-24 rehabilitation project at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County.

The second part of the Runway 6-24 project has a total cost of $22,647,401 and includes a process of rehabilitating the pavement, in addition to strengthening it and regrading and removing storm drains from the runway.

Thomas Stoudt, executive director of LNAA, said there are two mini projects inside the package for Runway 6-24.

The first includes removing about three inches of deteriorated pavement on the runway and adding fresh pavement back in. Another grant provides additional strengthening.

“We will be doing more night work, we are not looking at any extended closures,” Stoudt said. “There’s a chance there could be a 24-hour closure, but not for a couple of years.”

The grants for Runway 6-24 include one for $11,531,021; another for $348,295; and another for $8,503,344.

The entire estimated cost of the Runway-64 project is $90 million, and the airport authority has a goal to complete it by 2023.

The FAA typically pays for the airport authority’s capital projects and the organization has been supportive, he added.

“We’ve been working with the FAA…they’ve been helpful in providing the funding,” Stoudt said. “If there’s a year we can’t connect with the funding, that would extend the project.”

The fourth grant is for Queen City Airport in Allentown, which LNAA also operates. The $403,565 grant is for the removal of obstructions blocking the approach to Runway 15.

Stoudt said the airport authority wants to make sure pilots have a clear approach to the runway and will remove trees that are too tall. After removing the trees and stumps, workers will repave and clear the area.

 

 

 

 

[class^="wpforms-"]
[class^="wpforms-"]