The CRD, City of Victoria, District of Saanich and BC Hydro are coordinating construction along the Galloping Goose Regional Trail between Viaduct Park and Culduthel Road to reduce overall disruption. The work includes the City of Victoria’s Cecelia Ravine Park Underground and Surface Upgrades, as well as CRD trail widening, lighting and related infrastructure improvements.

As part of this coordinated work, an updated detour route will take effect on September 23, 2026. The Galloping Goose Regional Trail will remain closed between Viaduct Park and Dupplin Road, with no public access through the active construction area. The closure is expected to remain in place until Spring 2027.

Coordinating multiple infrastructure projects within a single construction period reduces the need for repeated closures and helps limit long term disruption for people walking, wheeling and cycling. Trail closures and detour routes will change as construction progresses. Plan an alternate route and follow posted signs. Updated detour signage will be installed before route changes take effect. Before travelling, visit CRD Alerts for current closure and detour information. Current project and route information is also available at crd.ca/rtwl.

What to Expect

As construction progresses, trail users can expect:

• Trail closures within active construction areas
• Increased cycling and pedestrian traffic on neighbourhood roadways
• No public access through fenced construction zones
• Separate signed detour routes for people cycling and people walking, wheeling or using mobility devices
• Changes to detour routes as construction advances with advance notice provided
• Construction noise, dust, vibration, vehicles and equipment
• Temporary changes near trail entrances, road crossings, intersections and connecting routes
• Direction from traffic control personnel at key locations
• Additional travel time through the area

Regional Trail investments and their impacts

A key section of the Galloping Goose Regional Trail is closed as coordinated infrastructure work continues. Our recent article explains why the work is needed, how the regional trails have evolved into essential active transportation corridors and what the RTWL project will deliver over the coming years. In 2025, regional trails recorded 4.4 million visits, reflecting their important role in commuting, recreation and daily travel. Read Regional Trail investments and their impacts.

Sharing RTWL project lessons at ITE Canada 2026

The RTWL project was recently featured at ITE Canada 2026, a national conference for transportation professionals. The session explored how lived experience, public engagement and technical review have informed design decisions for six kilometres of improvements along the Galloping Goose and Lochside Regional Trails.

The discussion shared five lessons from the project:

• Involving people with lived experience early helps identify practical design needs
• Engagement input needs to be translated into clear design criteria and requirements
• Multidisciplinary review brings accessibility, engineering, environmental and operational considerations together
• Clearly documenting trade offs supports transparent and defensible decisions
• Repeatable processes help carry inclusive design through planning, design and construction

The session was moderated by Alesha Hayes (CRD), with Amir Hassanpour (CRD), Colin Davis (McElhanney), Tanelle Bolt (RAD Recreation Adapted Society) and Adam Krupper ( MoTT) contributing project, engineering, accessibility and transportation perspectives. Sharing these lessons supports continued learning across the transportation sector and provides an opportunity to demonstrate how feedback from trail users can inform the delivery of public infrastructure.

Detour Construction

In order to provide a cycling detour for trail users while construction is underway, the CRD, in collaboration with the City of Victoria and the District of Saanich, is in the process of constructing a new neighbourhood bikeway route that will extend from Gorge Road East to Culduthel Road via Washington Avenue and Whitter Avenue. Custom poles, signal attachments and new pavement markings have been installed at the intersection of Burnside Road and Dupplin Road, completing the temporary signalized intersection to support the neighbourhood bikeway. A permanent traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of Boleskine Road and Whittier Avenue. These additions improve safety for people walking, wheeling, cycling and driving through the area during RTWL project related detours.

Stay out of closed work areas

There is no public access to active construction zones. Trail users must not move fencing, enter closed areas or use informal routes through work sites. Closed work areas may include excavation, construction materials, heavy equipment, uneven surfaces and worker access routes. Staying out of closed work areas helps keep trail users and workers safe. Please follow posted signage and use the designated detour.

Connecting with trail users during Go By Bike Week

CRD staff joined trail users at Go By Bike Week Celebration Stations across the region in May to support active transportation, share project information and promote the Share The Trail campaign. The Celebration Stations provided an opportunity to connect directly with people who use the regional trails for commuting, recreation and everyday travel. Staff answered questions, shared project updates and heard feedback about construction, detours and trail safety.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by, shared feedback and encouraged active transportation during Go By Bike Week. These conversations help the project team better understand how people use the regional trails and how construction affects daily travel.

Fall GoByBike Week returns September 19 to 25. CRD staff will be at a Celebration Station on Monday morning, September 21, to share information about trail construction and offer Garage 529 bike registration and tagging again.

Looking Ahead

Construction is anticipated to continue through fall 2026 and into 2027 in the Cecelia Ravine area. A separate RTWL project construction phase between Burnside Road and Culduthel Road is currently targeted to begin in late fall. Details about construction timing, access changes and trail impacts will be shared once confirmed. Trail users should check CRD alerts and the RTWL project web page before travelling for the latest information.

Regional trails are busy active transportation and recreation corridors. In 2025, the regional trail system recorded 4.4 million visits, an increase of 7.2 percent from 2024.

Help Share the Trail:

• Be informed: Learn and understand trail rules, traffic signs and safety requirements.
• Be alert: Be aware of your surroundings and watch for other trail users.
• Be visible: Wear light, bright and reflective materials, particularly at dusk and dawn.
• Be predictable: Communicate your intentions and look for others before changing direction.
• Be courteous: Keep right, yield to others, mind your speed, alert others before passing, move aside when stopping and keep pets on leash.

The CRD Courtesy Crew has been visiting regional trails throughout the summer to recognize responsible trail behaviour. CRD Bylaw officers will also be on the trails sharing information about trail safety and etiquette. Learn more about Share The Trail!

• Project: Regional Trestles Renewal, Trails Widening and Lighting
• Scope: Renew the Selkirk, Brett and Swan Lake trestles, widen approximately six kilometres of regional trail and add energy efficient lighting
• Design: Separated design with dedicated space for people walking and wheeling on one side and two direction cycling on the other, in widened sections.
• Budget: $53.5 million
• Timeline: Phased planning, design and construction through 2028
• Annual trail visits: 4.4 million visits in 2025

• CRD RTWL Project
• CRD Alerts
• BC Hydro Victoria–Esquimalt Cable Replacement
• MoTT Tillicum Active Transportation Bridge
• MoTT Highway 1 Bus on Shoulder McKenzie to Colwood

Thank you to everyone who uses the regional trails. Your patience during construction, attention to posted detours and commitment to safe and courteous trail use help keep the region moving while this work is underway.

Project updates, maps and construction information are available at crd.ca/rtwl.

Questions about construction can be directed to our construction inbox.

— The CRD Regional Trestles Renewal, Trails Widening and Lighting Project Team