Infrastructure Modernization Is Taking Off. How Amrize Helps It Fly.
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) serves around 72,000 passengers a day. So, when its North Runway needed upgrades, there was one way to get the job done right with minimal disruption: using the nightly closure. Each night starting at 10 p.m., Amrize and YVR’s general contractor Kiewit paved the runway—adding several layers of asphalt over six months. By 7 a.m. the next morning, crews returned the runway to service, with its surface, line painting and lights ready to safely accommodate the day’s flights.
For six months, crews worked overnight to upgrade three kilometers of active runway, squeezing paving into a four-hour window each night.
At 30 years of age and ready for its next chapter, YVR’s North Runway represents a wave of infrastructure renewal happening across North America. Strategic investments are underway across the region, strengthening vital systems and supporting trade, connectivity and economic growth.
The upgrades are necessary. In the United States, the American Society of Civil Engineers rates America’s infrastructure a C—up from a D or D- in previous years, thanks in part to injections of funds like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). With the Canadian Government’s “Invest in Canada Plan” providing similar resources, North America is seeing once-in-a-generation infrastructure modernization—visible in the cranes, concrete trucks and construction crews that dot our cities.
Often, these sport Amrize logos. With its portfolio of advanced building materials, century of experience building North America, and ability to support high-complexity projects, Amrize is the partner of choice for some of our region’s most ambitious infrastructure works. From airports to ports to rapid transit, here’s how we’re helping build the places that connect and protect North America’s communities.
Vancouver International Airport is the second-busiest airport in Canada, moving over 2 million passengers and almost 30,000 tons of cargo in a month.
As record numbers of people take to the skies, airports up their game
Airports are economic engines across the continent. Passenger volumes in the U.S. are approaching 1 billion annually, and Canada saw nearly 151 million travelers last year. The global air travel industry is projected to see around 5% annual revenue growth through 2030. To keep up, airports are replacing aging infrastructure with modern terminals, runways and taxiways to enhance the passenger experience and improve operations.
Reliable cement and slag from Amrize keep construction moving at JFK airport, supporting modern, world-class facilities.
John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, NY
JFK is undertaking a $19 billion modernization, and Amrize is providing materials for the 750,000 cubic yards of concrete that will help the New York City airport realize its ambition.
These materials support new terminals, roadways, and expanded AirTrain routes—helping deliver one of the largest airport transformations in U.S. history.
The rehabilitation of a runway that handles 30-50% of Logan’s departures included milling, paving, drainage improvements and the installation of lights.
Boston Logan International Airport, MA
To fully resurface the busy runway at Boston Logan Airport, Amrize delivered over 75,000 tons of asphalt in just 35 days.
Coordinating trucks, quarries, and paving crews around the clock, the team reopened the runway ahead of schedule despite strict security requirements and adverse weather conditions.
One of the biggest challenges in constructing the tall and complex columns was finding the ideal concrete mix that would bring strength, durability, flowability and deliver a class-A exposed concrete finish.
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, LA
The new terminal at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is an architectural marvel and an engineering feat.
To produce the 350 support columns that give flight to the arced, t-shaped roof, Amrize provided more than 6,500 cubic yards of Agileflow™ concrete.
This highly fluid mix places more quickly than standard concrete, flows easily through congested environments, and provides a high-quality surface that’s strong yet smooth — just like the Big Easy.
The North Runway at Vancouver International Airport handles nearly 400 aircraft daily.
Vancouver International Airport, BC
Amrize dedicated its Mitchell Island plant to providing high-performance, Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)-certified asphalt for a complete overlay of the North Runway and 11 connecting taxiways. The effort demonstrated the dependability of local supply and tight project coordination.
Using 10-metre-wide pavers with mmGPS control, thermal imaging and innovative screed technology, the team worked exclusively at night while keeping the runway open for daytime operations. Careful planning, robust contingency measures and close coordination with airport operations teams allowed the project to progress smoothly while meeting demanding performance, durability, and load requirements.
Future Ontario Line Pape Station entrance on the north side of Danforth Avenue, east of Pape Avenue. (Photo: Metrolinx)
Speed (and skill) are of the essence when it comes to advancing rapid transit system growth
As populations rise and urban centers densify, light rail transit (LRT), rapid bus transit, and metro systems are growing across North America. While these call for fast and efficient construction, they also require precision.
Materials in new lines and stations must perform in tight conditions, deep excavations, and 24-hour construction cycles. They must also withstand the test of the trains themselves, which carry heavy loads, generate intense vibrations, and operate on a high-traffic schedule.
Amrize is able to meet these needs thanks to its local-to-local production and on-demand logistics, allowing builders to construct faster and smarter, without compromising on quality.
The METRO Green Line Extension (also known as the Southwest light rail project) is a generational investment that extends the existing line by 14.5 miles, making it possible to travel from the western suburbs of Minneapolis to St. Paul.
Green Line Extension, Minneapolis, MN
Stretching 14.5 miles from downtown Minneapolis through suburban communities, the Green Line Extension adds 16 new stations and connects neighborhoods, business hubs, hospitals and recreational areas.
Amrize is supplying aggregates, cement and ready-mix concrete for features along the line, including tunnels, bridges and track beds.
Backed by our local presence and integrated supply chain, Amrize’s portable plant delivered the steady throughput and technical precision needed to support a project of this scale.
The large-scale Blue Line Extension project includes about 3.7 miles of tunnel, two bus terminals and a pedestrian tunnel and walkway, as well as five new stations.
Blue Line Extension, Montréal, QC
This 3.7-mile expansion of Montréal’s Blue line adds five stations and twin tunnels through one of the city’s busiest corridors.
To enable round-the-clock excavation while reducing noise and disruption above ground, Amrize supplied over 21,500 cubic yards of fiber-reinforced shotcrete, a high-velocity concrete that can be shot through a hose.
The Pape Tunnel package is a cornerstone of the CAD $27 billion Ontario Line, one of the largest and most complex projects in Toronto’s history.
Ontario Line - Pape Station, Toronto, ON
Constructing 98-feet-deep walls below Toronto’s Greektown neighborhood without disrupting the trains that passed overhead left no room for error.
Over 180 consecutive days, Amrize delivered roughly 57,000 cubic yards of self-consolidating concrete, a mix that flowed easily into heavily reinforced panels—critical for deep foundations and tunneling beneath active subway lines.
Part of the new 9.7-mile Ontario Line, Pape Station will make it easier to access Danforth’s rich cultural and culinary offerings.
Our Executive Team recently toured the O-Train Extension as part of a week-long embed with Amrize teams across Canada.
LRT O-Train Extension, Ottawa, ON
Ottawa’s 17-mile LRT extension is an epic undertaking. It comprises 17 new stations, including four underground—bringing communities closer and connecting daily life.
To build the project’s tunnels, slabs, specialty bridges and flyovers, Amrize delivered more than 425,000 cubic yards of concrete and 825,000 tons of aggregates.
The project demanded quality as well as quantity. Over five years, we supplied over 100 customized advanced material mixes. And with the help of our ConcreteDirect app, portable solutions and teams working overnights and weekends, we were able to tightly coordinate timing and logistics with our partners throughout the project.
Amrize MaxCem cement supports the Port of Mobile’s terminal expansion, enabling heavy container traffic and high-capacity crane operations.
Across North America, ports are on board with improvements and expansion
Ports are at the heart of North America’s supply chains.
In the U.S., more than 2.3 billion tons of cargo move through waterways each year, with the 10 busiest ports nationwide reporting a 3.5% year-over-year increase in the first half of 2025. Likewise, in Canada, the Port of Vancouver saw a record 13% increase in cargo volume during the first six months of this year. Overall, Canadian ports move over 350 million tonnes of cargo, connecting local producers to both national and international markets.
This movement is made possible by container terminals, multimodal yards, and pavements built to last for decades of continuous use by companies like Amrize and its partners.
RCC, using MaxCem as the binder, was the ideal choice for this port work, providing the strength and durability needed for heavy container traffic.
APM Terminals, Mobile, AL
One of America’s fastest-growing ports, the Port of Mobile is expanding its container terminal to handle more cargo and heavier loads. This includes a new high-performance pavement built to take the weight of cranes, stacked containers and continuous truck traffic.
Amrize supplied 10,000 tons of Type 1S MaxCem™ cement for 80,000 cubic yards of roller-compacted concrete (RCC)—an ideal choice for situations requiring a high-strength, rut-resistant surface with excellent fuel-and oil-resistance.
Amrize facilities across North America supply projects directly from local plants to local sites.
Why Amrize Is the Partner of Choice for the builders of North America’s infrastructure
Across airports, rapid transit systems, and ports, Amrize has earned a reputation as the partner of choice for North America’s most challenging infrastructure projects. What sets us apart?
- Local production and supply chains offering proximity and reliability that keep projects on schedule
- An unparalleled operational footprint, offering 1,000 sites across the U.S. and Canada from coast to coast
- Technical expertise and innovation in high-performance and advanced materials
- Scalable logistics capable of delivering large volumes on tight timelines
- Trusted partnerships with contractors, municipalities and vendors across North America
Made Here. Built Here. Ready for What’s Next.
Infrastructure connects people, drives economies, and shapes how communities grow. As North America invests in the systems that move us, Amrize is proud to support the builders leading the way.