The new bridge is set to open Saturday for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians.
The century-old trestle rail bridge spanning Holt Creek on the Cowichan Valley Trail has been replaced with a new structure that was set to open Saturday for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians.
The 74-metre-long span on the trail between Duncan and Lake Cowichan features a new steel frame with a timber deck and is supported on concrete footings on either side of the creek.
The bridge crosses about 34 metres above the waterway.
The bridge is only open for active transportation, but is designed to support emergency vehicles and maintenance equipment, according to the Transportation Ministry.
It has been named Q’ixluts Bridge, which means “the colour of the creek bed, black” in Hul’q’umi’num, referring to the black shale that lines the bottom of the creek.
The name was chosen by Cowichan Tribes, which supported early project work, including environmental and archaeological monitoring. Its economic development arm, Khowutzun Development Corporation, provided tree clearing and construction of temporary site access.
The bridge is located west of the Glenora Trails Head Park. In 2023, the Cowichan Valley Regional District, which manages the trail, reported 78,230 visits at Glenora.
The old Holt Creek Bridge opened in 1922 and served as part of the rail line until 1991, when CN Rail handed the line over to the province.
Structural improvements and upgrades were made to the bridge in 2002 and 2018.
But a 2017 structural assessment determined the bridge was nearing the end of its lifespan, and recommended the bridge be replaced rather than continuously repaired and maintained.
The creosote-treated timbers of the old bridge were removed.
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