Representative Conor Lamb and a bipartisan group of Pennsylvania Members of Congress have announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded the Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA) an $18.69M grant through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grant program. ACAA applied for the grant to support the construction of a 75,000 square-foot cargo processing facility and an adjacent surface parking lot to expand air cargo operations at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) known as the “Cargo 4 Project.”
Separate from the BUILD award, PIT will expand the taxiway and aircraft apron to serve the new facility.
“This grant means more cargo at our airport. More cargo means more jobs and investment in our region,” said Lamb.
“This federal grant shows there is confidence at the highest levels that Pittsburgh is a great place to do business, especially because of all of the hard work done to modernize our airport.”
“Southwestern Pennsylvania is a growing energy, technology, and manufacturing hub. For that success to continue, it’s essential that the infrastructure needs of the region’s residents, workers, and job creators are met,” said Senator Toomey (R-PA).
“This BUILD grant to fund improvements and a cargo capacity expansion at Pittsburgh International Airport will help in this effort. I appreciate Secretary Chao working with me, my colleagues in the Pennsylvania delegation, and the Allegheny County Airport Authority to get this award across the goal line.”
“I was proud to work in a bipartisan manner with the congressional delegation to help secure this funding that will stimulate job creation and economic growth throughout southwestern Pennsylvania for years to come,” said Rep. Guy Reschenthaler.
“This project will enable Pittsburgh International Airport to meet increasing demands from our growing health care and technology sectors, and the energy and manufacturing renaissance of the natural gas industry. Fostering job creation in southwestern Pennsylvania is my number one priority in Congress, and I was thrilled the Trump Administration recognized the positive impact this project will have in our community and awarded this funding.”
“Air cargo is an important component of any region’s intermodal transportation system. The facility built with this funding will help create jobs and promote economic growth in Allegheny County, so I was happy to work with Conor Lamb and our colleagues in the local Congressional delegation in support of the Allegheny County Airport Authority’s grant application,” said Rep. Mike Doyle.
“The value of unified bipartisan regional support for federal infrastructure funding can’t be underestimated, and I’m proud that the Congressional delegation from southwestern Pennsylvania has always worked together successfully to secure federal funding to address for our region’s pressing infrastructure needs.”
“Reliable transportation is critical to a 21st century America. The Department of Transportation funds for Allegheny County Airport Authority will greatly benefit not only Allegheny County, but the entire Pennsylvania economic ecosystem,” said Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson.
“Pittsburgh International Airport is a hub for business in Western Pennsylvania. Its long-term success is essential to our economy and workforce. To compete in the 21st century, we must build a 21st century infrastructure, and this grant helps us move toward that goal. Thank you to the Trump Administration and my colleagues in the Pennsylvania delegation for supporting in a bipartisan manner this crucial investment in our region’s future,” said Rep. Mike Kelly.
“Thank you to our congressional delegation for working in a bipartisan manner on this initiative. And thank you to the US Department of Transportation for its approval of the BUILD funding,” said Rich Fitzgerald, Allegheny County Executive.
“This project is based on using our existing assets to make our airport, and this region, even better. There is already a great deal of manufacturing occurring in the airport corridor, and an expectation that there will be additional growth in plastics manufacturing and other industries when the cracker plant comes online. Coupled with last week’s announcement that marks Pittsburgh International Airport property as the epicenter of additive manufacturing, the funding award makes a lot of sense as it will keep America competitive and ensure that this region remains a leader in manufacturing.”
“This was truly a regional effort, and I’d like to thank the entire Western Pennsylvania U.S. House delegation and our Senators for their support of this initiative that will be a key driver in continuing to expand the cargo industry in Pennsylvania,” said Christina Cassotis, CEO, Allegheny County Airport Authority.
“As the demand for cargo infrastructure increases, we are getting interest from carriers and freight forwarders around the world seeking to diversify their supply chains to airports with less congestion, resulting in efficiencies for their network, time and money savings, and risk mitigation. This project enables the Pittsburgh region to be at the forefront of accommodating that demand.”
Pittsburgh International Airport has identified the cargo sector as an opportunity for new business growth. The “Cargo 4 Project” will allow for larger aircraft or new destinations for integrator carriers that require sorting facilities and high volumes of truck access. The implementation of the business plan and the success of the existing cargo program led PIT to apply for the BUILD grant to construct a new cargo facility with additional ramp space to provide for larger planes.
The BUILD Transportation Discretionary Grant program provides the opportunity for federal investment in road, rail, transit and port projects. The eligibility requirements of BUILD allow project sponsors at the State and local levels to obtain funding for multi-modal, multi-jurisdictional projects that are more difficult to support through traditional Department of Transportation (DOT) programs.
