DEL REY OAKS >> Work along Highway 218, Canyon Del Rey Boulevard, through Del Rey Oaks, as well as a nearby Seaside neighborhood, continues as the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway’s first segment takes shape.

The 1.5-mile Canyon Del Rey segment, the first phase of the FORTAG project, runs from the intersection of North Fremont and Canyon Del Rey boulevards 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 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.

This week, FORTAG work on the east-west corridor that links Highway 1 and Highway 68 includes the ongoing construction on Highway 218 bridge abutment footings, wing walls and seats, according to the Transportation Agency for Monterey County, as well as the continued forming, pouring concrete, removing forms and backfilling for retaining walls and drainage systems in the Work Memorial Park area.

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 one bridge construction and is expected to reopen in May.

The portion of the Canyon Del Rey segment that runs under Highway 218 and links Work Memorial and Del Rey parks with the Frog Pond Wetland Preserve, will allow hikers, cyclists and pedestrians to move freely under the roadway through a 10.5-foot-high passageway.

Work also planned for this week includes removing road striping and asphalt, grading, pouring concrete for sidewalk, curb and gutter and retaining curb along Plumas Avenue between Noche Buena and Highland streets in the city of Seaside.

Project work hours are 7 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays, with some activities having further time restrictions such as no pile driving at night (when dark). The contractor’s plan is to limit most of the work between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. When needed, night work hours are 9 p.m.-6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday unless authorized for specific operations with advance notice. No nightwork is expected to occur during the next three weeks.

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. Construction 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.

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

The northern loop of FORTAG encircles Marina, following a 13-mile route that includes 3 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 4 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.