Photo courtesy of Cycle 16 Trail Society Facebook page

Highway 16 is an important and infamous portion of the Yellowhead Highway which is 3,500 kilometres of road stretching from Winnipeg, MB to Masset, BC on the island of Haida Gwaii. This stretch of road covers many different terrains through the Canadian Rocky Mountains all the way across the Hecate Straight and eventually, Haida Gwaii.

A very small but bustling portion of the Highway is between Telkwa and Smithers, BC.

These 16 kms are busy with large hauling trucks, cars, motorcycles and bicycles. With small shoulders that fall quickly into the ditch on either side, this trek is a dangerous (and not very fun) bike ride. But it is essential to people who don't have a drivers license or choose to ride their bike between towns (a 10 minute drive in a car). But who wants to ride this road on bike in the daytime let alone at dusk or nighttime?

Cue Tony Harris. Tony is an avid cyclist and has been fundraising for and organizing Cycle 16, the Trail Society paving the way for a paved, off-road path between these two rural communities.

Cycle 16 are closer than they've been to laying ground on this project. Tune in to CICK News on Sept. 29 to hear Chris Gareau's full interview with Tony Harris.

Listen below to hear a short clip where Tony is describing the plans for the Cycle 16 Commuter Trail.