28 RUNWAYS May | June 2026 AirportImprovement.com YVR morning. “I think putting things in that perspective really changed the approach to how we handled things as they came up,” she shares. “We knew because of the complexity of the work that needed to happen on a nightly basis that we needed to be very organized, very well-planned and that we had a tightly orchestrated project every single night,” she adds. Because the strategy required ultimate precision, Kiewit’s crew conducted a full-scale trial run prior to the start of construction. One night in March, after the runway had closed as usual, crews brought all the equipment out to the runway and simulated paving operations to get a realistic feel for various tasks and timing. “We had a very short window to actually work, so entering and exiting the runway needed to be handled very carefully and efficiently,” Grams says. With a limited construction window each night, crews could not waste time. Running a trial helped verify the logistics and test the assumptions that were built into the plan, Henschel adds. Tristar Electric developed an iterative process for replacing airfield lighting and electrical, based on what work could be done and still ensure the runway could be returned to service each morning. “We worked with the airport for months prior to the start of the project To learn more visit www.adspipe.com/aviation ADS has completed 600+ airport projects in the last 4 years. Airside: Drainage, deicing & hangars. Landside: Conveyance, storage & water quality. ADS’ innovative stormwater drainage solutions get the job done safely, quickly, and with less cost. HP Storm N-12® StormTech® Detention Water Quality With ADS, you’re always treated to first class. © 2026 Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. 4/26 CS Crews worked from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., when the runway was already closed to operations.
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