The Enderby-Splatsin section of the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail (Image credit: Columbia Shuswap Regional District).
Rail Trail

Construction of Armstrong-to-Sicamous Rail Trail will continue into the fall

Sep 10, 2024 | 6:52 AM

SICAMOUS, B.C. — The development of a multi-use trail in the North Okanagan and Shuswap will continue through the coming months.

The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) said in a joint-release that construction of the new Rail Trail between Armstrong and Sicamous would continue in the fall, with focus on two sections.

The pathway between kilometres 59.15 and 50.4 between Lansdowne Road and the south end of the City of Armstrong is adjacent to the active Canadian National Railway (CPR)/Canadian Pacific (CP) railway spur and is on CPR-owned land. This area required a new trail subsurface and the movement of a hydro pole, before the path can be extended into town.

On the north end at Sicamous between kilometres 0.5 and 4.5, crews had identified several sections that required additional surface elevation to improve flood erosion protection, which would require trucks, equipment and crews on site reinforcing the areas of the trail through September.

The RDNO/CSRD statement noted both sections of the trail would be closed to the public during construction, adding motorists should be cautious of heavy equipment and work crews in the areas where the trail was being worked on.

Once the work at the aforementioned sections has been completed, crews would move towards connecting the trail heads. This would include flood erosion repair work, surfacing the trail, making pedestrian-friendly modifications to rail bridges, installing road crossing and signage, and improving trailhead access. These projects are expected to continue through 2025, with the goal of having it fully ready for users by next fall.

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