The sign bars a closed section of the path. The alternative route is a replacement with a tunnel under a railroad line, rather than a temporary detour, and is in better condition than the old path which went under the railroad line on an embankment over the canal. (Click the up arrow to see satellite view.) However, visibility of the detour sign is deteriorating; chains on either side, both inside and outside the gateway, are even harder to see.

By law, "detour" must be posted in both English and French, because the French is spelled with an accent over the "e". If the word were in capital letters, the accent would be optional, and the repetition would be unnecessary.