Phased Development to Match Regional Growth

Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport is Arkansas’ largest commercial service airport, with more than 100 flight arrivals and departures each day, including nonstop jet service to 15 national/international gateway cities. The airport’s concourse features 12 gates that accommodate more than 2 million passengers annually, and the terminal building—constructed in the 1970s—has had no substantial renovations since the 1990s. To meet the region’s increasing air service demand, long-term plans call for renovation and expansion of the airport complex to more than 430,000 ft² over the next decade.

This 10-year program involves a phased series of incremental growth projects. The ongoing Phase 1 is for redevelopment of the terminal. Future phases will construct a new terminal commons, a new 16-gate concourse, a new baggage claim and international arrival facility, an inbound roadway, and improved parking. As an acknowledged global leader in airport construction management, Parsons was selected as the construction manager at-risk for Phase 1.

Coordinated Approach

Phase 1 involves 53,000 ft² of new building construction and 51,000 ft² of renovated building construction. It is divided into multiple subprojects on concurrent timelines:

• Airline ticket office relocation
• Airport administration offices improvements
• Closed-circuit television improvements
• Communications control center (new)
• Concourse/restroom renovation
• Energy conservation upgrades
• In-line baggage screening and outbound baggage facility (new)
• Local area network infrastructure (new)
• Multiuser flight information display system (new)
• Security checkpoint expansion
• Ticket lobby renovation
• Valet/executive lot relocation

Parsons manages each subproject’s procurement and construction separately through a competitive bid process phased to enable uninterrupted airport operations. Throughout Phase 1, detailed phasing plans and schedules as well as constant communication with the airport, airlines, and other stakeholders have kept the airport fully functional and ensure that passengers and airport staff remain safe.

Applying Our Core Values

The project safety program requires daily safety walks by the project manager and senior superintendent, weekly safety meetings with the subcontractors, and monthly safety meetings with the owner and airport tenants. In addition, the Parsons Safety, Health & Environment regional manager makes regular trips to the site to assist with safety, focusing on the safety elements associated with the detailed phases and interfaces of the multiple projects within the overall program. This emphasis on safety has resulted in no lost workdays across more than 325,000 manhours, with a recordable incident rate better than state and national averages.

Outreach to the local construction community created interest in the project and helped us partner with local disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) professionals to provide management support and construction services. Using a competitive bid process, we exceeded the project’s goal of 15% DBE participation—the project used 94% local firms and 26% DBE firms, benefitting both the airport commission and the community.

We are working with the owner and architect to achieve Green Globe Certification, which is awarded to qualifying travel and tourism businesses and suppliers following third-party inspection and validation. The construction process has recycled construction waste, implemented sustainable design on the HVAC system, and used locally sourced, durable, and recycled materials wherever possible. This sustainable approach considers all three dimensions of sustainability—environmental, economic, and sociocultural—as outlined in the Parsons Sustainability Handbook to create a sustainable airport complex.

Praiseworthy Performance

Parsons developed 17 subphases to properly maintain airport operations and minimize impacts on the travelling public throughout Phase 1. This complex planning process was essential for keeping the intricate project on schedule and within budget—the lobby was substantially completed for the May 3, 2013, dedication. Parsons’ outstanding performance received praise from airport officials during the ceremony, in front of an audience that included former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

For nearly 70 years, Parsons’ core business has focused on managing large, complex, multisite programs. We are proud that our management of Phase 1 has been integral to Clinton National Airport’s work to achieve its 2020 Vision Plan, which positions the airport as a leader in regional transportation.

Serving the aviation market since 1958, Parsons works hand-in-hand with airport owners and stakeholders to deliver innovations that bolster levels of service, streamline operations, and result in superior facilities. Our construction management at-risk project delivery system has quickly proven to be a preferred choice for airports around the globe—just one of the many reasons Parsons is the premier choice for world-class aviation engineering and construction services.