G2G Trail Board Member Chris Lee says they're almost ready to go to tender on the tunnel underneath County Road 25 near Blyth.
“It's actually a county project, we simply fund it. So the county did complete the design documents and tender documents just prior to the end of the year. So really we're just waiting to have enough money in the bank to assure the county that we can cover the cost and they can go to tender," Lee explained.
He says their goal is $500,000 and they're two-thirds of the way there, so he hopes they can go to tender this spring.
Lee says without the tunnel, people using the trail have to climb up from the trail to cross County Road 25, and he says it isn't just a matter of crossing the road.
“That bank is about forty feet high, so it's a total barrier for anybody that's less than able-bodied. Anybody with any sort of disability, it's a barrier. Putting the tunnel in will make it fully accessible. You'd be able to run through there with a wheel chair," said Lee.
Additionally, there are also some risks involved in crossing County Road 25. Lee explains it's a fairly high speed section, doesn't have good lines of sight, and you're limited in how far you can get off the road because of the guard rails, so the tunnel will address all of those concerns.