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AirportImprovement.com      May | June 2026
RUNWAYS 
YVR 
just to establish that baseline,” says Praga 
Pathmarajah, operations manager with Tristar. 
In total, 1,600 lights were modified during 
construction to match new runway height, 
and crews replaced 102 halogen fixtures 
with high-efficiency LEDs from TKH Airport 
Solutions. Now, all North Runway lighting is 
LED, supporting the airport’s long-term goals 
for safety, reliability and sustainability.
To facilitate flow to and from the worksite, airside and landside 
staging areas were established for equipment and crews. “We 
kept the equipment very close to the runway so that when 
the runway was handed over to us at 10 p.m. each night, the 
equipment could quickly mobilize,” Grams relates. 
The staging areas and other detailed preparations paid 
off. Each night, crews and equipment were staged in order 
of operation for that particular night’s schedule. Bing, from 
Kiewit, characterizes the result as very choreographed and very 
impressive. “It’s hard to describe the precision, efficiency and the 
schedule,” he reflects. 
Paving operations required precision, and were carefully 
orchestrated and intense, with two to three paving machines 
placing up to 2,000 tons of asphalt each night. Equipment was 
staged as close as possible, and Kiewit brought in standby 
equipment as a contingency. “We made sure we had all the 
redundant equipment in place so that if anything broke down, 
we’d still be able to open the runway on time the next morning,” 
Bing explains. 
Thanks to comprehensive planning, Henschel says the project 
“ran quite seamlessly because we had done as much work in 
advance as possible in order to prepare the teams and prepare a 
plan that was easy for those on shift to follow.” 
Precision and Contingencies
The North Runway project began early in the construction 
season, with preparatory work and installation of select electrical 
systems occurring from April to October. Because some lights and 
navigational aids had to be removed, the runway’s level of service 
was downgraded to non-precision approach beginning in April 
when heavy construction commenced. 
“There were lots of planning activities that happened through 
the day so that the night team would be prepared for the work of 
the evening,” Grams says.
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