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Toronto Pearson celebrates reopening of second-busiest runway following eight month rehabilitation
November 21, 2022 By Wings Staff
Deborah Flint (left to right), President and CEO, GTAA; Pat Neville, Vice President, Airport Development and Technical Services, GTAA; and Craig Bradbrook, Chief Operations Officer, GTAA stand on the newly re-opened Runway 06L/24R, Toronto Pearson's second-busiest runway. (Photo: Greater Toronto Airports Authority) Greater Toronto Airports Authority, operator of Toronto Pearson International Airport, reopened Runway 06L/24R, the airport’s second-busiest runway, after an eight-month rehabilitation. The project is one of the largest in Pearson’s history with planning for the project beginning more than a year-and-a-half ago.
“This runway is more than a marvel of modern engineering, as amazing as it is,” said Deborah Flint, Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) President and CEO. “It paves the way for the next 30 years of YYZ stimulating Canada’s economy by facilitating trade, foreign direct investment, tourism and business.
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GTAA executives, along with the GTAA teams and representatives from Dufferin Construction and Avia NG responsible for the 2022 runway rehabilitation program, gathered on Runway 06L/24R to celebrate on November 18, the date of the project’s completion. (Photo: GTAA, Kevin Prentice)
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Deborah Flint, President and CEO, and Pat Neville, Vice President, Airport Development and Technical Services, thank the GTAA teams and external partners responsible for delivering the rehabilitation of Runway 06L/24R on time and on budget. (Photo: GTAA, (Photo: GTAA/Kevin Prentice))
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oronto Pearson’s Runway 06L/24R is one of Canada’s busiest runways, facilitating trade, foreign direct investment, tourism and business. (Photo: GTAA, Kevin Prentice)
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Well in advance of the rehabilitation work, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority worked closely with NAV Canada, airlines and many other partners to ensure safety and minimal impacts to passengers and nearby communities. (Photo: GTAA, Kevin Prentice)
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The rehabilitation of Runway 06L/24R extends the life of the runway by 30 years and enhances the safety of Pearson’s operations. (Photo: GTAA, Kevin Prentice)
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(Photo: GTAA, Kevin Prentice)
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(Photo: GTAA, Kevin Prentice)
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(Photo: GTAA, Kevin Prentice)
Omar Alghabra, Federal Transport Minister, joined Flint for the runway’s reopening ribbon-cutting celebration with GTAA teams responsible for the rehabilitation, and representatives from Dufferin Construction and Avia NG.
“As the busiest airport in Canada and one of the busiest in North America, the return of this runway at Pearson Airport will keep air passengers moving safely and smoothly in and out of the GTA,” said Alghabra. The federal government’s Airport Critical Infrastructure Program funding awarded to Pearson earlier this year helped to partially funded the project.
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First built in the 1960s, the 3-km 06L/24R runway needed to be fully reconstructed due to the wearing down of its concrete sub-structure, as a result of weather, use and time. GTAA notes this project extends the life of the runway by 30 years and enhances the safety of Pearson’s operations.
Pointing to some of its environmentally progressive efforts the project, GTAA explains concrete from the original runway was crushed and re-used for the new runway, while an on-site batch plant reduced the need to truck concrete to the rehabilitation site. Also, 1,800 incandescent lights are being upgraded to LED lights. Two of only three 12-foot pavers in existence in Canada were used for the rehabilitation.
