Sacramento airport to launch US$1.3bn worth of upgrade projects in 2024

Sacramento International Airport is to embark on a series of expansion and upgrade projects worth a total of US$1.3 billion in 2024.

A rendering of how the pedestrian walkway at Sacramento International Airport will look (Image: Sacramento County Department of Airports)

Projects that the airport in northern California, US, is planning to get underway include:

• A $140 million pedestrian walkway linking Terminal B to Concourse B
• A new $400 million consolidated rental car facility, which will allow passengers to access rental cars without taking a shuttle bus
• Expansions to Terminal A and Concourse B, adding new gates and amenities
• A new Terminal B parking garage
• A consolidated ground transportation centre, bringing taxi, rideshare and off-site shuttle services into one area, walkable from both terminals

The Sacramento County Department of Airports, which operates the airport, is delivering the work under a programme called SMForward.

It comes as air travel demands at the airport returned to near pre-pandemic levels in 2022. Forecasts predict average passenger growth averaging 4.3% annually through to 2041.

Late last year, SMForward made a request for qualifications and experience (RFQ&E) from architectural and engineering consulting companies in relation to the pedestrian walkway and concourse and terminal expansions. It was one of a number of contracting opportunities listed on the SMForward website.

It expects to complete all of the work by 2027. It will be financed through a combination of federal and state grants, municipal bonds issued by the airport, and user fees.

Cindy Nichol, director of Sacramento County Department of Airports, said, “Our airfield has plenty of capacity, but our parking, concourses, and roadways have several choke points. SMForward will address these issues and create an airport ready to serve the modern passenger.”