Construction of watermain on the Great Northern Nelson-Salmo Trail (GNT) began last week, with the crew working northward along the old rail bed from the top of Stanley Street toward the Mountain Station parking lot. Construction notices and detour signage are in place along the trail alerting users of the construction works and the construction zone is delineated. A bypass trail for trail users, connecting the GNT with the end of South Sheppard Road is complete, ensuring all trail users can bypass the construction zone and continue in either direction of the work zone. The bypass trail has a smooth surface and gentle grades, ensuring access to all trail users.

This week, the contractor plans to carry on northward, installing watermain along the old rail bed, and detour pedestrians and cyclists around the work zone via the bypass trail and South Sheppard Road. Trucks and equipment will be accessing the rail trail primarily via the Mountain Station parking lot. As the GNT is relatively narrow, trucks, in particular, will be backing along the trail for considerable distances, so be mindful of the construction zones, use the detours as directed, and pay attention to traffic control personnel and all construction signage.

This is taken looking north along the rail bed showing the crew working to install watermain in the rail bed, and the bypass trail and detour signage directing trail users to S. Sheppard Road and Mountain Station parking lot.

This is an example of some of the notices posted. This particular posting is located at the Svoboda Road parking lot, alerting southbound trail users of the work zone and detour.

This photo is of the newly constructed bypass trail linking the GNT with South Sheppard Road, built to enable trail users to bypass the construction and use the trail in either direction both sides of the construction zone.