The Sacramento County Department of Airports, which operates Sacramento International Airport (SMF), has announced SMForward, a US$1.3 billion expansion project aimed at improving Airport capacity to accommodate anticipated passenger growth over the next seven years. This will be the largest construction programme in the airport’s history.
SMForward will be made up of six individual projects to include: the creation of a stunning US$140 million pedestrian walkway, expanding of Terminal A and Concourse B, a new parking garage for Terminal B and a consolidated ground transportation centre that will amalgamate taxi, rideshare and off-site shuttle providers into a single area that can be accessed on foot from either terminal. SMForward should be completed by the end of 2027 with the completion of a new US$400 million consolidated rental car facility.
“The airport experience is the first impression many people see when they arrive in Northern California – and the last as they leave,” said Cindy Nichol, Director of Sacramento County Department of Airports. “SMForward will change the airport’s skyline, but it also sets the stage for the airport’s growth and our region’s as a whole.”
In addition, SMForward is a visionary project that will be financed through a combination of federal and state grants, municipal bonds issued by the airport and user fees, as opposed to being funded by local taxpayers. 2022 saw SMF almost reach pre-pandemic levels with six consecutive years of year-over-year record-breaking passenger growth through 2019. Forecasts predict regular passenger growth averaging 4.3% annually through 2041, underlining the need for expansion. (£1.00 = US$1.23 at time of publication).
