Jun 09 2025
The carpet is going and big changes are coming to Springfield-Branson National Airport in 2025.
Springfield airport customers should expect some inconvenience beginning early this summer as the Airport replaces the flooring in the public areas of the airline terminal. By the time it’s all said and done, approximately 93,000-square-feet of tile and carpet will be replaced with terrazzo.
More than 15 million people have walked across the now iconic carpet since the terminal opened in 2009. There are only so many footprints and coffee spills that carpet can deal with. In short, the carpet is worn out – and no longer meeting the needs of the terminal.
Renderings provided by Alliiance
FLOORING REPLACEMENT PROJECT
Now, flooring. Terrazzo is a decorative hard-surfaced floor treatment that will last for decades and is easy to clean. Its downside: the time and effort it takes to install.
“Terrazzo is a unique challenge,” said Dave Schaumburg, the airport’s assistant director of operations. “Installing it takes a lot of time. And we can’t just close the terminal during installation – we have to do it in multiple phases, with customers in the building.”
Terrazzo is a layer of liquid resin that’s mixed with chips of glass and stone and then poured on the floor. After it dries, it’s polished. The finished product is hard and durable, like concrete, and has a life expectancy of 50 years. The terrazzo will be put down in sections to lessen customer inconvenience, over the course of roughly 42 weeks. Construction begins by August.
Schaumburg says sections of the terminal will be closed one at a time to allow for terrazzo installation.
“We’ll be guiding customers around the construction zones to get from one part of the terminal to another,” he says. “It won’t be unlike following a detour during road construction. We know this project will overlap many peak travel times, including major holidays. But we are committed to meeting the needs of our customers during this project.”
HONORING THE ARCHITECTURAL THEMES
The new floor is mindful of the terminal’s three architectural themes: water, rock and the natural green spaces of the Ozarks. These themes work together to represent the beauty surrounding the region. The water theme is especially evident in the soon-to-be replaced carpet; parts of it are blue and meander like an Ozarks’ stream. Other sections resemble grass or the gravel of a riverbank, and the new terrazzo will honor these themes and carry them forward.
In 2024, a group of community leaders from tourism, business and aviation took a deep dive into the terminal’s design as part of Terminal Area Visioning Workshops at SGF. Together with Alliiance, a nationally renowned aviation architectural design firm, the group met three times to imagine what the terminal could look like in its next chapter, including its new flooring.
“The terminal became a Springfield architectural landmark the day it opened in 2009,” said Brian Weiler, director of aviation. “The last thing we want to do is detract or depart from the building’s beauty. The terrazzo’s design will reflect the carpet’s previous motif, while also being easier to maintain and offer a long life of durability.”
Automated Exit Lanes
In addition to new flooring at the secure area exit, new automated exit lanes will be added this fall. Designed by Alliiance in conjunction with local architects Dake Wells, the automated exit lanes provide a more seamless departure of deplaning passengers while reducing operation costs at the Airport.
“This technology has been successful in increasing safety and security measures at larger airports across the nation, and we are excited to bring it to Springfield,” says Schaumburg. “Plus, the design allows for future expansion of the TSA checkpoint.”
Cargo Ramp Reconstruction Project
Some of the oldest pavement at the airport has just been replaced. Completed in May, the cargo ramp reconstruction project was nearly $10 million in concrete and infrastructure improvements to support the airport’s movement of cargo, just north of the main terminal. “Some of that pavement was just not in grade,” says Weiler. “It was a major project to ensure our cargo air partners have the continued infrastructure they need for successful operations.”
Replacement of Five Passenger Jet Bridges
Five jet bridges from the late 90s were moved from the old terminal to the new Midfield Terminal when it opened in 2009. These jet bridges have met the end of their useful life, and thanks to a $5.3 million Airport Terminal Program grant and other federal grant money, the Airport is contributing just a 10 percent match to the $7.58 million to replace five jet bridges. These environmentally conscious new jet bridges have the latest technology and are more energy efficient, with air and electricity connections for aircraft parked at each gate.
Terminal Apron Expansion
Almost $10 million of concrete will be poured as part of the Terminal Apron Expansion Project in the next 12 months. Former Senator Roy Blunt secured $6.4 million in federal funds for the project. Combined with $2.78 million from the Infrastructure Investment in Jobs Act, federal grant funds received for the project totals $9.18 million to expand the concrete area near the gates. The Airport Master Plan has high-level concepts of what the terminal could look like with up to six additional gates when SGF passenger numbers continue to grow.
This project paves the way, literally, for expanding the terminal. “This is the first step of many to expand the terminal, but this is the first step,” says Weiler. “As passenger numbers continue to grow, the needs of our terminal will continue to be addressed in future projects.”
Short-Term Parking Lot Expansion
In the past decade, there have been three parking lot expansions at the terminal. But on a near weekly basis at SGF, the short-term parking lot is at capacity. To add additional much-needed spots, the Airport Board of Directors approved a design agreement to expand the short-term parking lot, with construction costs estimated at $3 million. More than 225 short-term parking spaces will be added by spring 2026, flanked by refreshed landscaping.
In total, nearly $35 million in Airport improvements will be completed in the next 18 months. But an airport that is under construction is an airport that is thriving.
“Right now, we’re trending 9 percent passenger growth year to date,” said Weiler. “As an Airport guided by a master plan, we make decisions based on decades of projections to ensure we meet the needs as they become real. Our Airport is experiencing tremendous growth, and we are keeping up with the demands of our market to support the air service needs of our region.”
The Springfield-Branson National Airport will post updates on all construction projects on its website and LinkedIn page. Customers, community leaders and curious neighbors are encouraged to follow along for updates, and passengers are encouraged to arrive at the airport at least two hours before their flight is scheduled to leave.