Building the Trail Along the Rail

Construction of the new trail bridge at Helmcken Road is underway and expected to be complete this spring.

The trail bridge, adjacent to the rail bridge, is one of five construction projects in the first phase of building the E&N Rail Trail, a 14.3 kilometre multi-use trail from Victoria to Langford.

The first phase of the trail includes:

• Paving 2.5 kilometres of Galloping Goose Regional Trail from Atkins Avenue to Wale Road
• 1.8 kilometres of trail construction from Jacklin Road to Selwyn Road/Atkins Avenue intersection with connection to Savory Elementary School
• Bridge construction at Hereward Road and Old Island Highway at Four-Mile Hill
• 2.5 kilometres of trail construction from Esquimalt Road to Colville Road /Admirals Road intersection
• 2.3 kilometres of trail construction from Colville Road /Admirals Road intersection to Four-Mile Bridge

The  rail trail is a cycling and walking pathway being built along the rail corridor providing a multi-use transportation link between Victoria and the West Shore.

Phase one is estimated to cost $11.86 million with completion by the end of 2010. The entire trail is expected to cost $22.7 million. The Capital Regional District has received $11.5 million from the Federal Gas  Tax Fund and the B.C. Local Motion Fund. In March the federal government provided $1 million to trail construction and paving through Recreational Infrastructure Canada.