DEL REY OAKS >> Pile-driving activities are expected to occur through Friday as the Canyon Del Rey Segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project continues to take shape through Del Rey Oaks.
Work on the FORTAG project this week will also include excavation for bridge abutment footings and support shoring, the continued placement of material to construct embankments between the tennis courts and Del Rey Park, according to the Transportation Agency for Monterey County. Excavating, forming, pouring concrete, removing forms and backfilling for retaining walls and drainage systems in the Work Memorial Park area will also be part of the construction effort, along with the preparation of construction areas, as needed, for the minimization and avoidance of any damage or negative effects of winter storms or wet weather conditions.
The Canyon Del Rey segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project is part of the larger 28-mile effort to connect communities in and around the former Fort Ord to each other and to educational institutions, employment, community and open space.
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.
In the following two weeks, construction will continue on Highway 218 through Del Rey Oaks with the excavation for bridge abutment footings, pile driving and support shoring. Excavating, forming, pouring, concrete, removing forms and backfilling for retaining walls and placing and compacting material in the Work Memorial Park area will continue. The placement of materials, backfilling for retaining curbs and relocating an irrigation line in the Del Rey Park area will also continue.
Construction on the Canyon Del Rey Segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project is part of the overall FORTAG alignment. The 1.5 mile segment 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.
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 bridge construction and is expected to reopen in May.
Work hours are 7 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays. When needed, night work hours are 9 p.m.-6 a.m. Sunday-Thursday, unless authorized for specific operations with advance notice. No night work 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.
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