Good news this morning on the bridge linking Sections 14 and 15. Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail Executive Director Kate Dixon reports: “Work is underway on the bridge — the engineering design work is done and we’ve heard from the Corps [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the land] that it can built without new permits (it’s the site of an old bridge – so it’s considered a replacement not new construction). But Durham is now saying it may need to permit it themselves, and the Corps is talking to them about that. After we hear back on that, we’ll start asking for bids from construction companies. I’d guess we’re 9 months to a year away.

Did the section that goes under I-85 back in September. Bottom of the culvert was dry, but I’ve been thru there in the spring when the water was ankle deep.

The section from Redwood/Tom Clark to Redmill is on the rough side. No white blazes yet, just flags. The trail from Redmill to Penny’s Bend is also flagged and actually very runnable/hikable. I reckon when the white blazes show up that that is when the trail is considered official.

No sign of any bridge construction between sections 14 and 15. Definitely looking forward to the linking up of those two fine trail sections.