Philadelphia International Airport plans to purchase 15 acres in Tinicum Township to expand the footprint of its massive air-freight complex, writes Jacob Adelman for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

According to airport spokeswoman Diane Gerace, city aviation officials are willing to spend $5.5 million on the land adjacent to the 135-acre Henderson Tract property. The Henderson Tract was previously acquired by the city for the cargo terminal project.

The acquisition of the land from York-based Tinicum Realty Partners requires city approvals. At this time, the All-State Career School trucking academy operates on the site at 501 Seminole Street in Tinicum Township.

According to airport officials, the goal of the air-cargo project is to obtain a larger portion of the estimated $50 billion in regional air-freight activity. Gerace said that airport officials have already begun taking steps toward further advancing the plan by dealing with issues such as federal environmental reviews and wetland mitigation.

The planned land acquisition will be financed through the fees paid by airlines using the facility.

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