City officials and representatives from Tinicum Township, Delaware County and the Interboro School District today announced a landmark agreement in the multi-billion dollar Philadelphia International Airport Capacity Enhancement Program (CEP).
Airport CEO Mark Gale said the agreement reached will allow the $6.4 billion expansion project to move forward without having to displace 300 residents in 72 Tinicum Township homes.
"This agreement settles a longstanding dispute and provides us all the tools to move forward in a manner than advances the necessary airport redevelopment and provides benefits to our neighbors in Delaware County," Gale said at the afternoon news conference.
Airport officials began evaluating the facility's future needs in 1999. Under a 10-year planning process and a 7-year environmental review, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials concluded that an expansion would be necessary to address problems with excessive flight delays due to airfield congestion at the airport.
The CEP was initiated to keep up with anticipated growth in traffic at the airport--one of the busiest in the nation--which served more than 30 million passengers and accommodated nearly 433,000 takeoffs and landings last year.
Tinicum Township residents have been fighting the proposed expansion for more than 10 years.
The initial expansion plans called for the installation of a new runway along the Delaware River, that required the relocation of a United Postal Services (UPS) facility, and the demolition of more than 70 homes and almost a dozen Tinicum Township businesses.
Today's announcement provided details of a new proposal that spares Tinicum residents' homes and businesses.
Key features of the expansion project include a 1,500 foot runway extension, a new Automated People Mover system, a consolidated rental car facility, and numerous airport rehabilitation projects such as roof, window, and escalator replacements, new restrooms, and security upgrades.
Tinicum Board of Commissioners President Tom Giancristoforo Jr. said the details of the proposed agreement will be presented to Tinicum Township residents in a town hall meeting later this week.
The airport supports more than 140,000 jobs and contributes $14.4 billion in annual revenue to the regional economy.
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