Travellers taking Highway 1 in East Vancouver this Easter Sunday are advised to expect delays. The City of Vancouver will be repaving East 1st Avenue between Rupert Street and Boundary Road, prompting the closure of on- and off-ramps from the highway beginning at 3 a.m. Sunday. The westbound on- and off-ramps will be closed to traffic, as will the eastbound on-ramp and the avenue itself, according to statements from the city and the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Transit. The southbound lanes of Boundary Road will also be closed between Graveley Street and East 2nd Avenue, though the city says pedestrian access will be maintained. All of the closures are scheduled to remain in place until 9 p.m. Monday. “Drivers are advised to plan ahead, use alternate routes and expect delays in the area, especially those who typically access or exit Highway 1 via East 1st Avenue,” the city’s statement reads. The purpose of the closure is to allow crews to complete one of the final steps in the ongoing upgrade of the corridor, according to the city. Among the changes being made as part of the project are new curb ramps and “improved pedestrian crossings” between Rupert Street and Boundary Road, as well as a new dedicated left-turn lane on East 1st Avenue at Valiant Street and a new centre median. The old median was temporarily removed for FortisBC work, the city says. “Final remediation work and line painting is scheduled to take place later this month,” the city’s statement reads.
