RS&H: Eugene Airport Advanced Terminal Planning Study

The Eugene Airport completed an Advanced Terminal Planning study (ATP) to address rapid growth, new airline entrants, an unexpected recovery post-pandemic, passenger recapture from other areas, and the addition of new routes for existing airlines. In addition to an aging infrastructure, all passenger processing elements of the airport and available aircraft parking positions are currently being fully utilized.

With all the ticket counters, gates, and aircraft parking spaces at capacity, the Airport identified the need to conduct the ATP exercise to better understand how to expand the existing facilities and construct new facilities, including a new Concourse C to accommodate current and future passenger growth.

The Eugene Airport Development Plan (2018) served as a starting point as the team continued to refine the initial recommendations while considering the new landscape in the aviation industry post pandemic and environmental goals established by the City of Eugene.

The resulting Advanced Terminal Plan that was developed focused on various study areas including improvements to the existing ticketing facilities, reconfiguration and expansion of the outbound baggage screening and make-up areas, expansion of the baggage claim areas, additional security screening area, infilling portions of the existing Concourse A building, and the proposed construction of a Concourse C with additional gates and the option for a Charter Terminal. Throughout the process, stakeholder engagement was utilized regularly to ensure that the ultimate users of these proposed facilities were able to provide feedback on the development recommendations. These stakeholders included members of a Technical Advisory Committee, a Community Advisory Committee, and airline partners.

The stakeholder feedback combined with insight from the industry experts that comprised the team, resulted in final recommendations for improvements to the existing facilities as well as new construction that when fully realized will nearly double the capacity of the current airport. Quality of Life, Resources and Environment, and Climate and Resilience were the three guiding principles which influenced the planning process decision-making to support a sustainable and resilient terminal program. Stakeholder engagement was critical to solicit input on how the ATP would affect the airport’s current and future operations, support environmental aspirations, and reflect the community it serves. The ATP serves as the road map for the design of the terminal expansion/modification and the development of the new concourse.