A section of the Galloping Goose Regional Trail in Colwood will be closed for three days in mid-July while crews finish paving the area near the new pedestrian and cycling overpass. The Capital Regional District says the trail will be off limits between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. from July 14 to 16, 2026, between the overpass and the Ocean Boulevard and Belmont Road intersection.
A detour for walkers and cyclists will be marked during the closure, which is needed to complete paving as part of the final touches on the $6.3 million bridge project that opened in April. Trail users can still use the route outside those hours, but the midday shutdown will affect the roughly 1,000 people who travel this stretch daily.
The new 38-metre-long, four-metre-wide bridge over Sooke Road officially opened on April 9, 2026, giving cyclists and pedestrians a safer way to cross the busy highway. Before the overpass was built, trail users had to detour along Wale Road and Island Highway, waiting at lights and sharing the road with vehicles. The bridge project, led by the City of Colwood, was funded largely through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, with more than $1.9 million from the federal government and over $1.6 million from the province.
An automated counter near Wale Road recorded more than 270,000 trail users between March 2024 and March 2025, highlighting how many people rely on the Galloping Goose for commuting and recreation. The July paving work is one of the last steps to fully connect the new bridge with the existing trail system.
The Capital Regional District reminds anyone planning to use the trail during the closure to follow the signed detour and expect delays. Outside the 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. window, the trail will be open as usual.
