Construction on the Holt Creek Bridge, located on the Great Trail of Canada section of the Cowichan Valley Trail, is set to begin Monday and be complete by mid-September.
The bridge, located northwest of the Kinsol Trestle, will provide trail users with an accessible connection between Duncan and Lake Cowichan.
The Cowichan Tribes-owned Khowutzun Development Corporation is the contractor.
The trail will be fully closed between Glenora Trailheads Park and the east side of Holt Creek Bridge starting Sept. 3, with no detour available.
A second phase of construction will begin in the fall and will also require a full closure of the same portion of the trail.
The original Holt Creek Bridge opened in 1922 and was a rail bridge until 1991, when CN Rail transferred it to the province.
A 2017 structural assessment found that the bridge was close to end of its lifespan and should be replaced rather than undergo more repairs.
The new bridge will accommodate pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians, and be strong enough for emergency vehicles and maintenance equipment.
It will have a wood surface on a steel frame, and work will include clearing the area’s stream channel and planting native vegetation.
