DEL REY OAKS >> The Frog Pond Wetland Preserve saw Pacific Gas and Electric crews relocating power pole guy wires last weekend as part of the construction of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project through Del Rey Oaks, and this week those relocation efforts continue along with other actions.

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.

This week, expect continued drainage system improvements and removal of existing pavement in the Work Memorial Park area, continued forming, installing rebar, pouring concrete, removing forms and backfilling for sidewalks and curb ramps, and grinding existing pavement in preparation for paving along Carlton Drive. There will also be continued drainage system improvements along Work Avenue between Saucito Avenue and Carlton Drive, continued shoulder construction and forming, installing rebar, pouring concrete, removing forms and backfilling for curb ramps in the Del Rey Park area, along with continued PG&E utility relocations in the Frog Pond area.

Carlton Drive is closed between Highway 218 and Work Avenue through mid-October. Emergency vehicles and residents of the south end of Carlton Drive will have access to their residences via Quendale Avenue or Highland Street.

Access to Work Memorial Park, the Butterfly Garden and tennis courts will be restricted during construction. The Frog Pond Wetland Preserve is closed for the remainder of Stage 1 construction and is expected to reopen in October 2025.

Work hours are 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday through Friday. No pile driving work is to occur once it’s dark out. The contractor’s plan is to limit the majority of work between 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 1.5-mile 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.

The newly-built bridge on Highway 218 — Canyon Del Rey Boulevard — will enable hikers, cyclists and pedestrians to move freely under the highway through a 10.5-foot-high passageway connecting the parks to the preserve.

Construction of the Canyon Del Rey segment is expected to last through August 2026.

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.

The Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway is proposed as an approximately 28-mile continuous 12-foot-wide paved bicycle and pedestrian trail with an open-space buffer on both sides. FORTAG will connect to the existing Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail and will provide connections to unpaved trails in the Fort Ord National Monument.

The northern loop of FORTAG encircles Marina, following a 13-mile route that includes three miles of the existing Coastal Rec Trail. The southern loop of FORTAG encircles Seaside and bisects Del Rey Oaks, following a 15-mile route that includes four miles of the existing coastal trail system. The route includes spurs connecting with existing and planned bike/pedestrian infrastructure.

Several sections of the paved trail will link to nearby unpaved trails.

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.