St. Clair County taxpayers will spend $3 million on MidAmerica Airport renovations
Nearly $6.5 million from a federal grant will allow MidAmerica Airport to expand its terminal, county leaders said Thursday.
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the money through a national airport improvement program. The money will be used to expand the terminal by more than 41,000 square feet.
The new space will include a new security screening area, two additional boarding bridges, a service animal relief area, family restrooms, a nursing room, an expanded departure lounge and added room for concessions. The money will also pay for renovations to accommodate people with disabilities.
“We’re extremely excited for the terminal expansion,” said airport director Bryan Johnson. “Just the whole process should be smoother and more comfortable and convenient for the traveler.”
Construction will begin in the next three months and should be completed within a year and will cost slightly less than $13 million, according to Johnson. Combined with three other grants, the federal money will pay for roughly $10 million and taxpayer money from a fund St. Clair County uses for capital projects will cover the rest. The money is already in the fund, Johnson said.
The plans are part of the airport’s four-phase Passenger Terminal Modification project.
The airport first sought federal grant money in 2018 when St. Clair County officials asked for financial help with more than $20 million in renovations. Those plans were put on hold because grant money never came through. Earlier this year, airport leaders revised their request in favor of breaking up the plan, and the cost, into smaller portions, said Johnson, who was hired as director in February.
Phase 1 of the plan was completed this spring and included utility upgrades and other necessary changes before starting the second phase.
U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, announced the grant award earlier this month.
“This grant will allow MidAmerica to make essential updates to the airport terminal building so that they can continue to serve the needs of southern Illinoisans for years to come,” Bost said.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the airport saw passenger increases. From 2015 to 2019, MidAmerica saw passenger counts grow from 63,000 to 300,000, Johnson said. He expects passengers to return once the threat of coronavirus subsides.
Johnson expects at least a 35% decrease in foot traffic this year because of COVID-19 though flights have remained consistent throughout the summer.
Future steps in the plan will include improvements to the structure of the terminal itself and to the electrical work, among other interior systems. Final completion of the fourth phase is expected in late 2023.
MidAmerica offers passenger service to nearly a dozen destinations through airline Allegiant. The airport is also home to a Boeing manufacturing facility, produce distributor North Bay Produce and AVMATS, a company that does maintenance for corporate aircraft. MidAmerica also partners with nearby Scott Air Force Base.
