MONTEREY >> Construction of the Highway 218 bridge, over what will be a passageway for the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway, continues through Del Rey Oaks this week.

The work involves forming, installing rebar and pouring concrete for the bridge decking that will accommodate a portion of the FORTAG trail which will run under Highway 218, also known as Canyon Del Rey, linking Work Memorial and Del Rey parks with the Frog Pond Wetland Preserve.

It will enable hikers, cyclists and pedestrians to move freely under the roadway through a 10.5-foot-high passageway.

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 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 of the Canyon Del Rey segment of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway Project for the next week also includes continued forming, pouring concrete and removing forms and back filling for retaining walls and drainage systems in the Work Memorial Park area.

There will also be grading, forming and pouring concrete for sidewalks, curb and gutters, ramps and retaining curbs along Plumas Avenue between Noche Buena and Highland streets in Seaside. Grading, forming, installing rebar, pouring concrete and backfilling for sidewalks, curbs and gutters, ramps and retaining curbs will be done along Carlton Drive in Del Rey Oaks.

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 construction and is expected to reopen in June 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 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 FORTAG project is being done in phases and different areas of the project will be affected at different times. Construction is expected to last through August 2026.

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 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.