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Planning And Development

Sacramento International Airport Master Plan

A presentation discussing the Alternatives is scheduled for 5:45p.m.

When:    Monday, December 15, 2003
Time:      4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. 
Presentation:  5:45 p.m.
Where:   KVIE Channel 6, Community Room 2595 Capitol Oaks Dr.

The public is encouraged to attend this Workshop and provide input.
For more information, please contact Kathy Sutton at (916) 874-0400 with the Sacramento County Airport System or visit our website at: www.sacairports.org (select "Public Relations" link from the side menu).

The Sacramento County Airport System (County Airport System) would like to inform you that the Sacramento International Airport Master Plan is restarting.  The Master Plan Study was temporarily suspended following the tragic events of September 11, 2001 .  The suspension was necessary to allow time to determine the effects of September 11, 2001 , on the Airport and the airline industry.  The project is now ready to restart with the analysis of airport development alternatives, and will include a brief review of previously completed work and review recent changes at the Airport (e.g., air service, parking usage). 

Previously, the vision for the development of the Airport was established and the inventory phase and forecasts of activity had been completed.  Recently, a review of the forecasts was performed to see if it is still appropriate.  This will be one of the discussion topics at future meetings.  The project starts again with the evaluation of a series of airport development alternatives which include various airfield layouts and land use concepts that can meet the needs of the airport over the long term.  This analysis is designed to yield the best alternative.  This project is anticipated to be a 10-month process which concludes in December 2003.

The events of September 11, 2001 and the dramatic effect on the airline and airport industry prompted the County Airport System to put the Sacramento International Airport Master Plan on hold pending indications of market and industry recovery.  In addition, the County Airport System believed it prudent to delay critical planning decisions pending clarity of airport security requirements, especially as they affect (1) facility planning and development and (2) operational and passenger level-of-service standards.

The next step in the Master Plan will be to focus on completing the airfield development plan.

As information becomes available the County Airport System will continue to update this website.

For information or to be added to the mailing list please email Kathy Sutton at suttonk@saccounty.net or call the master plan line at (916) 874-0400.

For further information call the master plan line at (916) 874-0400.

Those attending the open house visited a total of eight workshop stations staffed by Airport System representatives and consultants. Assistant Director of Airports and Master Plan Project Director Rob Leonard responded to comments and questions.

Each station had diagrams and photos illustrating the various alternatives for future development of International. These are being considered during the current phase of the Master Plan, a guideline for airport development through 2020.

Topics featured at the stations included facility requirements and preliminary alternatives for airfield, passenger terminal and ground access/transportation along with environmental issues.

A station was also dedicated to the Sacramento County Airport System Plan/Mather Airport Master Plan Study. The Airport System Plan will begin by reviewing and refining policies and procedures relating to the role of each airport, with the Mather Airport Master Plan to follow.

It is expected that alternatives for terminal development will be presented in a workshop format to the Board of Supervisors later this summer.

The dedicated information phone line for the Master Plan Study is (916) 874-0400. In addition, the Study's progress and upcoming events are now posted on the Airport System's website at www.sacairports.org. 

(From the February 1, 2001 Beacon)

The first phase of Sacramento International Airport 's Master Plan Study projects a growing demand for aircraft and passengers.

The purposes of the projections are three-fold. One is to determine International's ability to accommodate the future demand for aircraft type (jets, general aviation planes, etc.). Two is to evaluate the airport's current facilities and their capacity to handle the projected aviation demand, and estimate the airside and landside capacity needed to meet the projection of passenger and aircraft activity. PB Aviation is the consultant for International's two-year study, which has a forecast period of 20 years. Economic considerations will continue to drive changes in the operations of airlines, the Study found. One example is the trend of airline alliances and mergers.

The Study also focused on future trends in air traffic control technology designed to cut delays causing aviation gridlock at the nation's airports. Case in point is the Federal Aviation Administration considering a number of congestion-reducing options such as departure spacing and weather assistance radar programs.

In addition, the Study gauged the growth of aircraft and passenger activity as they impact airport facility requirements. A few factors examined were airline ticketing/gating/baggage operations and advanced signage and passenger check-in, and the upcoming addition of an interim customs facility to handle transcontinental flights at International.

The study's projections of domestic passenger traffic through 2020 were based on International's 1980-1999 traffic. The airport's traffic grew at an annual average rate of 6.4 percent versus four percent for domestic U.S. traffic during this 19-year period, spurred mainly by Southwest Airlines initiating service on June 17, 1991 .

Total passenger traffic is expected to climb at an average annual rate of 3.5 percent during the 1999 - 2020 period at International, the Study forecasts.

"The growth of International during the next two decades will have a major economic impact on the Sacramento region," said Director of Airports G. Hardy Acree.

Also calculated were the times for peak aircraft arrivals and departures for the 20-year forecast period. Elements considered included runways, airspace and tower support.

Several freight-only carriers shifted operations from International to Mather Airport during the late 1990s. An expanding mail-order industry spurred by Internet commerce is projected to increase air freight shipments at International by 8.2 percent annually through 2010, then 3.8 percent annually between 2010 and 2020.

Growth in air mail flights is also forecast to be driven by the United States Postal Service's ongoing contracts with major carriers flying to destinations with sorting facilities around the country. The volume of air mail shipped through International is projected to increase 4.1 percent during 1999 - 2010, and 2.7 percent for the 10 years ending in 2020.

Service to Canada and Mexico "is expected very soon," with nonstop flights to the United Kingdom and Germany anticipated by 2015.

Through 2020, International is expected to remain an airport for origination-destination (O&D) traffic, adding new non-stop domestic markets driven by passenger demand. O&D refers to passengers who begin or end their flight at a specific airport, rather than using it as a connecting point to their final destination.

Also analyzed were a total of eight alternative forecast scenarios. One is slower economic growth based on forecast per capita personal income the FAA used to determine the nation's aviation activity.

Terminal facility requirements and development alternatives will be reviewed at the next Public Workshop for the Study, scheduled for February. For the date, time and place of the workshop, call Kathy Sutton at (916) 874-0400 or go to the System's website at www.sacairports.org.

(From the January 1, 2001 Airport Beacon Short Lines)

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors was presented the first phase of Sacramento International Airport 20-Year Master Plan Study on December 5. This phase included forecasts of aviation activity, visions for the future of International, and an assessment of the airport's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Data was gathered region-wide during meetings of the Airport Master Plan Citizens Advisory Committee, Community Leaders Group, Planning Professional Group and the Technical Advisory Committee, along with 25 stakeholder interviews and two public workshops. The second phase of the Study will focus on facility requirements and development alternatives. Internet access devices are now located inside the phone enclosures on the Terminal A concourses at Sacramento International. These special devices allow for easy access to the internet.

(From the December 1, 2000 Airport Beacon)  

Profile:  Sacramento International Airport Master Plan Study Moving Forward

The Sacramento County Airport System hosted its second public workshop for the International Airport Master Plan Study on Thursday, October 19.

Approximately 50 people attended the workshop and reviewed information that focused on aviation activity projections and airfield facility requirements at the airport. Representatives from the Sacramento County Department of Environmental Review and Assessment handled related questions about the environment.

Aviation activity projections are a central part of the Master Plan Study at Sacramento International, as is the projected future capacity of the airport.

The basis of passenger projections is the growing population of airport users residing in International's primary service area (El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties), plus a large secondary market that includes cities such as Stockton, Fairfield, Modesto and Napa.

Total passenger growth at International is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 3.5 percent between 1999 and 2020. In addition, the airport's annual boardings are forecast to double from 3.8 million in 1999 to nearly eight million by 2020, according to PB Aviation, the consultant for International's study.

The study's final report is scheduled for completion by fall 2001.

In addition, the Master Plan Study is developing annual activity projections for three separate time periods-short-term (through 2005), mid-term (2006 to 2010) and long-term (2011 to 2020). The identification of opportunities for additional nonstop flights to new domestic and foreign destinations is also moving forward.

Though Mather Airport ships the majority of the capital region's cargo, air cargo at International is projected to grow from 134 million pounds in 1999 to 419 million pounds in 2020. In addition, annual aircraft operations-takeoffs and landings-are projected to increase from 155,528 in 1999 to 256,000 operations by 2020.

Passenger and freight-only carriers using larger aircraft to fly more people and cargo per flight was considered in determining the annual growth rate of operations during the forecast period. During the current phase of the study, airport facility requirements through 2020 that are being considered also include existing runway and taxiway configurations, navigational aid requirements and aircraft type.

Terminal facility requirements and airport user access will be reviewed at the next Public Workshop in February 2001.

For further information about the Master Plan Study, call Kathy Sutton at (916) 874-0400 or visit the System's website at www.sacairports.org.

"Enhancing International's capacity while continuing to improve customer service is our main goal in the coming years," said Director of Airports G. Hardy Acree.

(From September 1, 2000 Airport Beacon)

Sacramento International's Master Plan Study Progressing Well 

An extensive regional outreach has been initiated as a key element of Sacramento International's Master Plan development.  More than 25 stakeholder meetings have taken place throughout International's primary service area.

The six-county primary area consists of Sacramento , Yuba, Sutter, El Dorado , Placer and Yolo counties.

In addition to the stakeholder meetings, about 70 people attended an open house/public workshop on June 19. County Supervisor Roger Dickinson, whose district includes the airport, and Rob Leonard, the Master Plan Program Director, presented a Master Plan overview.

On June 8 and August 15, visioning sessions with the Master Plan Study Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) gathered more input. The TAC members included representatives from airlines, regulatory agencies, the FAA and Sacramento Regional Transit.

At the stakeholder and TAC meetings and the public workshop, participants were asked to ideally visualize and describe International in the year 2020.

Their responses in part emphasized the need for high quality, multi-modal and congestion-free ground access to International.  Multiple vehicular entrances and alternative modes of transport would mitigate delays caused by congestion on Interstate 5 and might also decrease travel distance to the airport.

International's compatibility with the surrounding area was also perceived as a crucial issue. Planning to ensure compatible development of adjoining lands will maximize airport options and create opportunities to preserve open space, habitat and recreational space.

Participants were also concerned about the airport's capacity to fulfill the special needs of those traveling with children, the elderly and the physically challenged.  They saw International in 2020 as an economic engine for Northern California , helping to attract businesses to the Sacramento region by providing sufficient air carrier and cargo services.

Also emphasized was the need for adequate airport facilities through the next 20 years to accommodate tourism, conference and convention activity and global travel to places such as Mexico , Canada , Asia and Europe . The surroundings should ideally be aesthetically pleasing and regionally-relevant, highlighting the area's essence.

Stakeholders, TAC members and workshop attendees agreed that the airport must strive to provide safe and efficient services.

The Hoyt Company's Lisa Pereira, the Master Plan Study's community outreach director, said: "People see the airport's role in the community as being bigger than the airport itself; it's the region's gateway."

Comprehensive and diverse input to the Master Plan Study will continue with upcoming focus groups, TAC and stakeholder meetings and public workshops. The next public workshop is tentatively set for Thursday, October 19.

May 2000 

Sacramento International's Master Plan Study kicked off on May 1 with meetings between the Sacramento County Airport System, tenants at International and consultants.

The consultants include PB Aviation, Inc., Hellmuth Obata and Kassabaum, Inc., The Hoyt Company and Reinard W. Brandley. Airport tenants include airlines, concessionaires and air cargo carriers.

The 24-month study will result in a Master Plan that includes recommended phasing for airport development during the next 20 years.

In the initial phase of the study, the future demands of International's service area will be assessed and opportunities for serving more domestic and international nonstop markets will be examined.

The study will then analyze facility requirements to meet the projected demand.

At the same time, the Master Plan Team-County Airport System staff and consultants-will be engaging the community in the planning process. This will be done through a series of workshops and meetings, and also through four different advisory groups and committees.

"Making sure that the vision created for the airport is a shared vision that works for the entire community is critical to the development of the Master Plan," stated Rob Leonard, Master Plan Project Director with the Sacramento County Airport System.

"The plan must consider the needs of business and leisure travelers while at the same time making sure that the airport operates efficiently and minimizes its impact on the environment."

Community involvement will be the focus of many meetings in the upcoming months. The first public workshop is scheduled for Monday, June 19 at the KVIE Channel Six Community Room (2595 Capitol Oaks Drive in Sacramento ).

This workshop will be conducted in a drop-in format starting at 3:30 p.m. and ending at 7:30 p.m. An overview presentation of the Master Plan will be provided at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

The purpose of the workshop is twofold. One is to provide the community with an opportunity to share their vision for the future of the airport through 2020. The other is to introduce the Master Plan Team.

"We look forward to working with the entire community in the development of the Master Plan," said G. Hardy Acree, Director of the Sacramento County Airport System.

The study's progress and upcoming events will be posted on the Sacramento County Airport System's website at www.sacairports.org.

The dedicated information phone line for the study is (916) 874-0400.


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