An undated photo of the Eugene Airport. The airport received just over $6 million in federal dollars to renovate and expand Concourse A.
Courtesy of Eugene Airport
Concourse A of Eugene Airport will be notably roomier, thanks to federally-funded expansion money that Congress recently authorized.
The update will also include HVAC, mechanical and bathroom renovations, and work that will ensure ADA accessibility during a power outage.
The 9,893 square foot addition will help the concourse handle the crowds produced by the larger class of jet that now frequently flies out of the airport.
“The A concourse was originally designed for regional aircraft, so probably about 74-seat size,” said Airport Director Cathryn Stephens. “But now, all mainline jets are up at the A-gates, and that’s 120-150 seats. So when you calculate that out, it makes for a very crowded space.”
The $22 million Concourse A expansion is an early project mentioned in the airport’s Liftoff EUG plan. The plan identifies nearly $450 million in future projects culminating in the addition of a third concourse.
“This piece will at least give us a relief valve while we are working toward that much larger Concourse C project, but in the meantime we’ll have a facility that’s more right-sized to the passengers that we’re receiving right now,” said Stephens.
Crews have already begun preliminary work on the Concourse A expansion, and Stephens said work is expected to take 12-18 months.
Two other projects are also ongoing: a renovation of the upstairs restaurant and changes in rental car facilities that will create more parking for airport users.
Zac Ziegler is a reporter with KLCC. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
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