While driving along Airport Drive from the HIA terminal building toward the Long-term parking lot, look to your right and you’ll see significant construction activity as the final phase of the airport’s cargo apron expansion project is underway.
Demolition work continues to remove an old Work War II era building foundation. Once removed a new stormwater drainage system will be installed and a concrete parking ramp will be constructed to support three more large cargo airplanes at HIA
Over the past few summers, HIA’s East End Renaissance program has transformed the landscape of the eastern half of the airport.
Area in Blue is the new cargo ramp, areas in gray are previous portions of the larger project.
Projects have included the reconstruction of Airport Drive, the construction of a new roundabout connecting Airport Drive, Olmsted Drive while eliminating Third Street, the demolition Building 208 and two World War II era structures, and the expansion of the cargo aircraft ramp to provide three additional large aircraft parking spaces.
HIA’s prime location
HIA is located at the crossroads of major roadways providing interstate highway access to the North via I-81 and Route 322, to the South via I-83 and Route 15, and to the East and West via the PA Turnpike (I-76) and Routes 30, 283, 322 and 422.
HIA’s 10,000-foot-long runway can handle any aircraft flying today and the airport’s location outside of the busy and congested Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York City airspace make flying into and out of the airport convenient and reliable.
In 2023, HIA ranked as the nation’s 67th busiest cargo airport, as measured by scheduled cargo aircraft landed weight.
FedEx and UPS regularly fly air cargo between HIA and destinations around the world via their hubs in Memphis (FedEx), Indianapolis (FedEx), Louisville, KY (UPS) and Rockford, Ill (UPS). Annually there is more cargo flight activity at HIA that at “larger” airports including Nashville (# 70), St Louis (# 79) and Buffalo (# 85). Note: Cargo charter flights like the Antonov-124, are not counted in this total.
Cargo aircraft at HIA ready for loading on the existing cargo ramp
The End Result
Late last summer, Golden Triangle Construction Inc., based in Imperial, PA was awarded the nearly $13.9 million contract to compete the final phase of the project.
When completed late this summer, three new large aircraft parking spaces will be available, increasing the airport’s total to seven with immediate roadside access. Also, site preparation work will provide a shovel ready site for future construction of a second air cargo sortation facility. The timing and construction of a second sortation facility, to be completed by a private company, will be determined based on competitive market conditions and the region’s economy.
Layout of the new ramp and a possible location for a future air cargo support building
Stay tuned for more insights into the inner workings of our airport in future blog posts!
☁ #InTheCloud ☁ at flyHIA 