Eugene Airport (my photo)
Back in 2021, I wrote about the Eugene Airport’s ambitious plans to accommodate
future growth, improve operations, and enhance the passenger experience. At the
time, the COVID-19 pandemic had only recently upended global travel,
delaying—but not derailing—EUG’s long-range vision. I’m revisiting the
topic, prompted by recent news reports about the airport, as well as the EUG Advanced Terminal Planning Study (which I hadn't been aware of until now) completed by RS&H in December 2022. That 2022 study
builds upon RS&H’s 2018 Airport Master Plan and makes clear that the
Eugene Airport still sees itself as a regional hub poised for major
transformation. Today’s planning optimism does come with an important caveat:
funding uncertainties at the federal level could place key elements of the
master plan at risk.
The centerpiece of the airport’s next phase of terminal
expansion is Concourse C—a new double-loaded, eight-gate pier that would
dramatically increase aircraft and passenger capacity. The preferred design concept strikes a balance between spatial efficiency and passenger convenience. A
central concessions hub anchors the concourse, giving vendors shared visibility
across all holdrooms. While the connecting walkway is relatively long, it
clears apron space for aircraft maneuvering and creates opportunities along the
procession for features like a club lounge and changeable art installations and
displays tied to the identity of Eugene and the surrounding region.
Notably, the proposal
for Concourse C includes a swing gate system that can be closed off for charter
use, providing complete separation from regular terminal operations. Charter
travelers—especially university athletic teams—would enter through a
self-contained lower-level terminal that includes its own ticketing, screening,
baggage handling, and bus-accessible drop-off. The remaining space in the
charter facility would be reserved for airline operations support. The images
here (from the 2022 EUG Advanced Terminal Planning Study) describe how
impactful the addition of the new concourse will be.
Terminal site plan with expansions. The proposed new Concourse C is in green (source: EUG Advanced Terminal Planning Study)
The 2022 RS&H cost
estimates for Concourse C varied between $124.5 million and $146.4 million,
with the charter terminal adding another $8.6 million to $9.2 million. Combined
with planned expansions to Concourse A, ticketing, baggage handling, parking,
and airfield safety systems, the financial scope of the buildout is
substantial—currently north of $270 million and rising quickly.
The overall, long-term
vision, first articulated in RS&H’s 2018 Master Plan and still very much
alive as of their 2022 update, is audacious: a complete reorientation of the
terminal complex to align with the airport’s parallel runways. Concourse C is
the first tangible step in that direction. Ultimately, the goal is to entirely replace the existing terminal building to achieve this end and further increase the number of
gates.
While the concept plan is
forward-thinking, the funding outlook is increasingly uncertain.
Airport officials
expected to tap a mix of FAA grants, airport revenues, passenger facility
charges, municipal bonding, and private investment to fund the major capital
projects. However, recent developments in Washington are casting a
shadow over this strategy. The Trump administration’s Department of Government
Efficiency (DOGE), spearheaded by Elon Musk, has placed a temporary freeze on
federal funding streams—including FAA grants—pending comprehensive audits of
federal spending. This sweeping review has delayed or jeopardized portions of
nearly $3 trillion in grants, contracts, and loans.
The FAA itself has
come under strain. Hundreds of staff members, including many in key technical
roles, have been dismissed as part of the administration’s “efficiency
overhaul.” While there has been no direct indication that EUG’s funding is
among the grants at risk, the broader implications are unavoidable. Any airport
counting on federal support to move forward with major projects must now
contend with the possibility of delays, reductions, or outright cancellations.
That doesn’t mean
the plans are doomed. Eugene Airport has a strong record of strategic planning
and incremental growth. Its past projects have been phased smartly, triggered
by actual passenger demand and guided by a sound development blueprint. With commercial
activity rebounding and smaller hub airports enjoying renewed popularity for
their ease and accessibility, EUG’s underlying growth projections remain solid.
Nevertheless, the pathway to realizing those projections will depend not only
on demand, but on stable, reliable funding—something that’s no longer a given
in the current political climate.
As a Eugene resident, I value our airport’s relative calm and convenience compared to the
sprawl and congestion of larger terminals. I want to see the Eugene Airport thrive, grow, and
adapt. I also recognize that ambitious plans—no matter how
well conceived—are only as sound as the financial and political systems that
support them.