DEL REY OAKS >> Construction of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project in Del Rey Oaks continues on Highway 218 — Canyon Del Rey Boulevard — with the excavation for bridge abutment footings and pile driving.

But due to the need for specialized equipment to conduct the pile driving underneath the overhead utility lines, pile driving activity did not occur on Monday and Tuesday as expected, according to the Transportation Agency for Monterey County.

Pile driving work was conducted Wednesday and will continue Thursday, with the possibility of continuing Friday, said TAMC.

Pile driving is a construction method used to embed vertical columns by driving them into soil with heavy machinery.

Construction on the Canyon Del Rey Segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project is part of the overall FORTAG alignment and runs from North Fremont and Canyon Del Rey boulevards through Work Memorial Park and Del Rey Park, under Highway 218 into the corner of the Frog Pond, back up to Highway 218 at Carlton Drive, then to Plumas Avenue where it will end at Del Rey Woods Elementary School.

The FORTAG path will go under Canyon Del Rey Boulevard — Highway 218 — with a new roadway bridge constructed to carry vehicles using the highway. Hikers, pedestrians and bicycles will travel under the bridge through a 10.5-foot-high passageway.

Work this week also includes the continued placement of soil to construct embankments between Safeway and the tennis courts, excavation and preparation for concrete work continues, along with forming, pouring concrete and removing forms for retaining curbs in Del Rey Park, and preparation of construction areas for the minimization and avoidance of any damage or negative effects of winter storms or wet weather conditions.

In the next two weeks, work will include construction on Highway 218 with the excavation for bridge abutment footings and pile driving, continued placement of soil to construct embankments between Safeway and the tennis courts, and backfilling retaining curbs and electrical conduit work in Del Rey Park.

Access to Work Memorial Park, the Butterfly Garden and tennis courts will be restricted during construction. Parking adjacent to the Frog Pond may be restricted but otherwise access restrictions are not foreseen in the next 3 weeks. The construction window in Work Memorial Park has been extended to Nov. 15, with the potential to extend further depending on weather.

Work hours for the Canyon Del Rey Segment of the FORTAG project are 7 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. When needed, night work hours are 9 p.m.-6 a.m., Sunday through Thursday unless authorized for specific operations with advance notice. No night work is currently expected to occur during the next 3 weeks.

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 project.

Construction of the Canyon Del Rey Segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project is being done in phases and different areas of the project will be affected at different times, according to TAMC. As the project moves forward, residents and businesses will be provided additional notifications in advance of bridge foundation work and work that restricts driveway access.