ARTICLE
FedEx Ground trucks will soon be moving in and out from a 270-acre site in Allen Township. The recent $9.8 million land sale by the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority was approved for development by its Board of Governors. The proposed venture between the airport authority and FedEx was highlighted during Lehigh Valley’s annual transportation forum, hosted by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. "I’m feeling the love,” said Stephanie Cohen, vice president of strategic planning for FedEx Ground. “We’re really excited to be here and to become part of the region and part of neighborhood and community.” FedEx is expected to add several dozen tractor-trailer trips along Race Street, Airport Road and Route 22. These and surrounding roads already carry about 22,000 vehicles daily. “This is a very large project,” Cohen said during a panel discussion held at the Mack Truck customer center in Allentown. Tony Iannelli, chamber president and host of WFMZ’s “Business Matters” program moderated the forum. He was joined by Charles Everett, executive director of Lehigh-Northampton Airpot Authority; Becky Bradley, executive director of Lehigh Valley Planning Commission; and Robert Clark, division administrator for the New Jersey Federal Highway Administration. Clark was also featured as event’s keynote speaker. He was sent as representative to the summit by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Anthony Foxx. The discussion, with 250 local business and political leaders at luncheon attendance, centered on the ever-growing e-commerce market. Clark said that a recent federal highways study projected that there will be a 45 percent increase in freight traffic as more consumers turn to internet for purchases. “I don’t think drones are going to be the answer,” he said. Already, the Lehigh Valley has experienced an e-commerce boon in recent years with the creation of Amazon and Walmart distribution facilities, and, most recently , the addition of Stitch Fix, a San Francisco-based women’s stylist company. The region continues attracting large companies due to its proximity to major highways, rail and air systems, as well as large density markets such as New York and Philadelphia. Clark said the federal government has so far released more than $134 million to Pennsylvania and New Jersey to fund their local highways projects. He said the Federal Highways Administration primary goal is safety. The future FedEx “mega hub” had clearly dominated the summit as prospect of creation of 600 additional jobs and redevelopment of highways as the result energized the crowd and guest panelists. Cohen said that the $335 million FedEx Ground project would be the largest in the country. There are 34 similar distribution hubs throughout the country. “We need to keep businesses like these that have transportation impact right where he have a good infrastructure,” Bradley said. Another issue brought up at the event was potential development of commercial railroad system. Right now there’s no railroad connection in Lehigh Valley linking major cities like New York and Philadelphia. Bradley said Lehigh Valley Planning Commission is working together with local and federal officials to build partnerships toward a goal of bringing a passenger rail system to reality. She said the project would be in the billions of dollars. “We’re working towards investigating a possibility of that in the future,” she said. See the original article at wfmz.com.
FedEx Ground trucks will soon be moving in and out from a 270-acre site in Allen Township.
The recent $9.8 million land sale by the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority was approved for development by its Board of Governors.
The proposed venture between the airport authority and FedEx was highlighted during Lehigh Valley’s annual transportation forum, hosted by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.
"I’m feeling the love,” said Stephanie Cohen, vice president of strategic planning for FedEx Ground. “We’re really excited to be here and to become part of the region and part of neighborhood and community.”
FedEx is expected to add several dozen tractor-trailer trips along Race Street, Airport Road and Route 22. These and surrounding roads already carry about 22,000 vehicles daily.
“This is a very large project,” Cohen said during a panel discussion held at the Mack Truck customer center in Allentown.
Tony Iannelli, chamber president and host of WFMZ’s “Business Matters” program moderated the forum. He was joined by Charles Everett, executive director of Lehigh-Northampton Airpot Authority; Becky Bradley, executive director of Lehigh Valley Planning Commission; and Robert Clark, division administrator for the New Jersey Federal Highway Administration. Clark was also featured as event’s keynote speaker. He was sent as representative to the summit by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Anthony Foxx.
The discussion, with 250 local business and political leaders at luncheon attendance, centered on the ever-growing e-commerce market.
Clark said that a recent federal highways study projected that there will be a 45 percent increase in freight traffic as more consumers turn to internet for purchases.
“I don’t think drones are going to be the answer,” he said.
Already, the Lehigh Valley has experienced an e-commerce boon in recent years with the creation of Amazon and Walmart distribution facilities, and, most recently , the addition of Stitch Fix, a San Francisco-based women’s stylist company.
The region continues attracting large companies due to its proximity to major highways, rail and air systems, as well as large density markets such as New York and Philadelphia.
Clark said the federal government has so far released more than $134 million to Pennsylvania and New Jersey to fund their local highways projects. He said the Federal Highways Administration primary goal is safety.
The future FedEx “mega hub” had clearly dominated the summit as prospect of creation of 600 additional jobs and redevelopment of highways as the result energized the crowd and guest panelists.
Cohen said that the $335 million FedEx Ground project would be the largest in the country. There are 34 similar distribution hubs throughout the country.
“We need to keep businesses like these that have transportation impact right where he have a good infrastructure,” Bradley said.
Another issue brought up at the event was potential development of commercial railroad system. Right now there’s no railroad connection in Lehigh Valley linking major cities like New York and Philadelphia.
Bradley said Lehigh Valley Planning Commission is working together with local and federal officials to build partnerships toward a goal of bringing a passenger rail system to reality. She said the project would be in the billions of dollars.
“We’re working towards investigating a possibility of that in the future,” she said.