DEL REY OAKS >> Stairways, sidewalks, curbs and gutters are the focus of construction on the Canyon Del Rey segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project through Del Rey Oaks this week.

The 1.5-mile Canyon Del Rey segment is the first phase of the FORTAG project which is proposed to be an approximately 28-mile continuous 12-foot-wide paved bicycle and pedestrian trail with an open-space buffer on both sides.

Work on the segment in the coming days will include the continued excavating, forming, installing rebar, pouring concrete, removing forms and backfilling for retaining walls, drainage systems and stairways in the Work Memorial Park area.

Access to Work Memorial Park, the Butterfly Garden and tennis courts will be restricted during construction.

Construction on the FORTAG project this week will also see the continued grading, forming, installing rebar, pouring concrete and backfilling for sidewalks, ramps, retaining curbs and valley gutters along Plumas Avenue between Noche Buena and Highland streets in Seaside.

The Canyon Del Rey segment runs from the intersection of North Fremont and Canyon Del Rey boulevards in Del Rey Oaks through Work Memorial and Del Rey parks, under Highway 218 — via a new roadway bridge constructed to carry vehicles using the highway — and into the corner of the Frog Pond Wetland Preserve, back up to Highway 218 at Carlton Drive and on to Plumas Avenue, where it ends at Del Rey Woods Elementary School in Seaside. Construction is expected to last through August 2026. From now through Friday, construction will also include continued grading, forming, installing rebar, pouring concrete, removing forms and backfilling for sidewalks, curbs and gutters, ramps and retaining curbs along Carlton Drive, the continued drainage system improvements, removal of asphalt along Work Avenue between Saucito Avenue and Carlton Drive, and clearing and rough grading in the Frog Pond area for PG&E utility relocations.

Work Avenue between Saucito Avenue and Carlton Drive, including the island, will be closed through August. The Frog Pond Wetland Preserve is closed for the remainder of Stage 1 construction and now is expected to reopen in October.

Construction of the Canyon Del Rey Segment of the FORTAG project is being done in phases and different areas of the project will be affected at different times. As the project moves forward, residents and businesses will be provided additional notifications in advance of bridge foundation work — pile driving — and work that restricts driveway access. Work hours are 7 a.m. — 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. The contractor’s plan is to limit the majority of work from 7 a.m. — 5 p.m. When needed, night work hours are from 9 p.m. — 6 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, unless authorized for specific operations with advance notice.

The Transportation Agency for Monterey County, the lead agency on the project, is working with Caltrans District 5, the cities of Del Rey Oaks and Seaside and the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District to complete the Canyon Del Rey segment of the FORTAG project. For information about the FORTAG project or to sign up for updates, visit https://www.tamcmonterey.org/fort-ord-regional-trail-greenway-canyon-del-rey, or email 79829@publicinput.com.