A two-block section of Oak Street near Vancouver General Hospital will be closed to traffic starting Thursday, and drivers are being warned to expect delays. The closure will be in effect 24 hours a day between West 10th and West 12th avenues until Sept. 22, the City of Vancouver said in a bulletin Wednesday. “Access to residents, businesses and health services will be maintained,” the bulletin said. “Traffic control personnel will be on site to support the public and maintain intersections outside of the closure.” Anyone travelling to nearby Vancouver General Hospital facilities is urged to plan an alternate route and factor in additional travel time. The closure will be in place to “support crane activity” during an expansion of the hospital’s operating rooms, the bulletin from the city said. Drivers can expect detours and parking restrictions, while pedestrians are being advised the sidewalks on Oak Street may be intermittently inaccessible. Cyclists on the 10th Avenue bikeway are urged to heed to any signage in place, and to exercise caution, while transit users are being asked to keep apprised of any changes to bus routes.
