Public input sought on airport master plan

The Springfield-Branson National Airport will host a public meeting 4-7 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Springfield Art Museum to receive public input on the draft of its revised master plan.

According to airport officials, the master plan is a comprehensive study of the airport’s infrastructure needs for the next 15-20 years. Airport staff will be present at the meeting to explain the plan and record ideas and input from members of the community.

A news release from the airport says a master plan attempts to forecast growth and answer three questions: What infrastructure improvements will the airport need to accommodate growth, when will the improvements be needed and how will they be funded?

In a September Springfield Business Journal interview with Aviation Director Brian Weiler, he said an airport must have a master plan in order to receive funding from the federal government for airport infrastructure. Public input will be incorporated into the plan, and a revised version will be presented to the Airport Board and then the Springfield City Council for approval.

According to past reporting, plans call for a terminal building expansion, which Weiler believes is at least five years out, and a new parking garage to be built on the west side of the Roy Blunt Terminal in three to five years.

Also planned are terminal amenities, such as additional concession options, a pet relief area, a sensory room and an outdoor observation and patio area.

A new development area is envisioned for corporate hangars, with two additional spots for airline maintenance bases to be fed by a workforce trained in the Ozarks Technical Community College Aviation Program.

The release states other areas being looked at are the maximum capacity and life span of the airfield, airspace, hangar storage, aircraft parking, air cargo facilities, ramps, taxiways and runways.

“It’s important to point out that a master plan is not a wish list for new facilities – it’s an appraisal of what facilities will be needed to accommodate forecasted airport growth,” the release states.

The plan does not cover airline service, but rather facility improvements, it adds.

The master plan is online at the airport’s website.