O'Hare sees increase in cargo volume with expanded runway capacity, new cargo facilities

The amount of cargo moving through Chicago's O'Hare International Airport is increasing, as the city expands runway capacity and builds new cargo facilities.

City aviation officials say cargo volume rose 8 ½ percent for the first half of the year, compared with the same period in 2013, when it totaled more than 738,000 tons.

The airport is on track to hit 1.5 million tons for the year.

Aviation Commissioner Rosemarie Andolino says "air cargo creates billions of dollars in economic activity and supports thousands of jobs in the Chicago region."

O'Hare is the second busiest airport in the country when ranked by passenger numbers.

It's also No. 2 when it comes to the value of its air cargo, around $115 billion a year.