The City Club of Eugene’s most recent Friday Forum featured a series of presentations and a roundtable discussion about the future of southwestern Oregon’s airports. Now that air passenger volumes are rebounding back to pre-pandemic levels, the subject was timely and very interesting. The roundtable participants were:
- Shelly Humble – Airport Manager, Hobby Field, Creswell
- Betty Stansbury – Director, Oregon Department of Aviation
- Cathryn Stephens – Acting Airport Director, Eugene Airport
Current City Club of Eugene president Kitty Piercy moderated the forum.
Cathryn Stephens provided an update on plans to implement substantial facility enhancements necessary to support the Eugene Airport’s expected long-term growth. The unwelcome advent of COVID-19 in 2020 precipitated a steep decline in air traffic worldwide, which in turn jeopardized the original timeline for several planned large-scale improvements at the Eugene Airport. Surprisingly, EUG is poised to emerge from the downturn stronger than ever. Both Southwest Airlines and Avelo Airlines—a new low-cost carrier—will soon operate to and from Eugene, joining Allegiant Air, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines. Prospects for smaller hub airports like EUG are generally trending upward as passengers are increasingly attracted to the level of convenience they offer and the growing number of carriers they attract. Accordingly, the Eugene Airport Master Plan’s assessment of facility requirements and “blueprint” for future development assumes renewed urgency as COVID-19 recedes and activity at EUG ramps up.
Eugene Airport’s footprint is a byproduct of its historical infrastructure. Today, it consists of two parallel runways and a system of taxiways that includes remnant pavement sections from previous airfield configurations. Most of the existing facilities are oriented in line with the historical airstrips, which has resulted in awkward angles and inefficient use of available land. Additionally, the passenger terminal bisects two well-defined areas of general aviation activity. The bottom line is the airport’s existing infrastructure is ill-suited to meet its projected future needs.
My firm, Robertson/Sherwood/Architects, has worked on numerous small projects at the airport over the years.(1) I was aware of the Eugene Airport Master Plan but I was not familiar with its contents. A team led by RS&H, a large architecture & engineering firm headquartered in Jacksonville, FL developed the plan, completing it in 2018. The voluminous and comprehensive study is comprised of six key elements:
- Airport stakeholder visioning.
- An inventory of existing conditions.
- An FAA-approved forecast of future aviation demand.
- An assessment of facility requirements necessary to meet that projected demand.
- Development and evaluation of alternative options for the required facilities.
- A description of proposed phasing, timing, estimated costs, and funding mechanisms.
RS&H defined three Planning Activity Levels (PALs) in the Master Plan:
PAL 1 focuses on airfield safety projects, including immediately required improvements to Taxiway A and the Runway 16R-34L taxiway connectors. Additionally, PAL 1 prioritizes preparations for the construction of the proposed terminal Concourse C, and expansions of the terminal airline ticketing and outbound baggage handling areas. Land-side projects include roadway safety improvements, expansion of parking capacity, and fuel storage security enhancements.
PAL 2 projects further improve airfield safety through a pull-off runup pad located near the threshold of Runway 34L and taxiway connector improvements serving the secondary runway. New general aviation development will move to a dedicated area north of Taxiway C, separated from commercial airline activity. PAL 2 also includes various land-side improvements (including additional parking capacity, expanded rental car facilities, and improved roadway safety), land acquisition, and a master plan update. The Airport anticipates undertaking the PAL 2 “mid-term development” projects during the 2028-2037 timeframe.
PAL 3 continues the Airport’s investment in airfield safety through routine pavement rehabilitation, various airfield geometry improvements, a ground vehicle tunnel under Taxiways C and M, and land acquisition to create the Runway 16L Protection Zone (RPZ). Future development of the new concourse and surrounding apron is programmed to meet expected demand levels and begin the reorientation of terminal facilities to align with the parallel runway system. Additional long-term projects include navigational aid enhancements, parking and rental car infrastructure investments, and deicing facilities. The Airport proposes to execute the PAL 3 “long-term development” projects in parallel with the PAL 2 projects.
RS&H estimated the total cost of the PAL 1, 2, and 3 capital improvements projects as $227 million (in 2018 dollars).
The pandemic delayed several of the PAL 1 projects, but its effects have not otherwise required tweaking of the Master Plan. Implementation will be a 20-plus-years-long process, moving forward in phases prompted by attainment of benchmarks tied to factors such as passenger volume and project funding rather than specific calendar milestones.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) paid for last year’s taxiway improvements, but funding for other projects identified by the Master Plan is not yet entirely in place. The largest projects will likely require a combination of monies from FAA grants, airport revenues, passenger fees, municipal bonding, and external private funds.
The rendering of the future Concourse C (see top of post above) commanded my attention. When completed, it will dramatically increase aircraft and passenger capacity at the airport. Looking beyond the 20-year horizon, RS&H’s ultimate vision for the Eugene Airport ambitiously reimagines the entire facility. Though this vision will undoubtedly evolve as the years pass, it presently proposes the complete replacement of the existing commercial terminal with a new 50-gate(!) complex oriented to align with the parallel runway system.
Cathryn Stephens did address the elephant in the room, which is flying’s substantial carbon footprint. Reducing the environmental impact of air travel is an imperative for the entire aviation industry if it is to survive. Given the way it operates today, flying is not truly sustainable. Planes are becoming more efficient every day, and electric-powered flight is becoming a reality, but other modes of travel (such as trains) emit much less CO2. One of the benefits of using the Eugene Airport rather than driving to Portland is the associated reduction in the passenger’s carbon footprint: Per passenger mile, the level of emissions is less when flying directly to and from EUG versus adding the trek by car both ways between Eugene and PDX.
The Eugene Airport Master Plan does include an overview of the environmental considerations and impacts associated with current and future development at the airport, as well as a detailed feasibility study examining the potential of green energy generated by substantial solar photovoltaic installations at EUG.
Additionally, the Eugene Airport is partnered with The Good Traveler carbon offset program, which provides passengers with a means to personally mitigate the impacts of flying. For example, if I flew a round-trip itinerary between Eugene and Vancouver, Canada, I could offset the 688 pounds of carbon dioxide associated with my 700 passenger miles of travel by purchasing carbon offsets worth $3.50. That money goes toward projects devoted to restoring the climate balance, such as methane capture, refrigerant reclamation, carbon sequestration, emissions reduction, and improved forest management initiatives.
If past and recent history are any guide, the airline industry is resilient, with growth trending upward overall despite unprecedented disruptions of global scale and consequence. By necessity, it is also adapting to changing realities. I like the Eugene Airport’s prospects. EUG’s proactive planning for the future provides it, and by extension all of Lane County, with a leg up in a volatile and competitive marketplace.
(1) Our
office is currently working on providing Southwest Airlines with office space
within the existing terminal. Our past work for the airport includes an
expansion of Gate A, renovation of the administrative office building, the
terminal gift shop, the airfield equipment storage building, and an assortment
of maintenance and repair projects. I hold a SIDA (Security Identification
Display Area) badge, for which I must retrain and retest annually to maintain
the privilege of access to the flight ramp and other sensitive operational
areas.
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