Sewer upgrade work at Oak Street and West 70th Avenue starts Thursday

Starting Thursday, August 22, the City will begin the final phase of work replacing aging combined sewer infrastructure with new separated sewer pipes along Oak Street, West 70th Avenue, and Fremlin Street. The project is part of the City’s current 2023-2026 Capital Plan PDF file (3.2 MB), which maps out significant investments in Vancouver’s infrastructure and amenities. Valued at $28.5 million, it is one of the largest projects in the current Capital Plan.  

Impacts to West 70th Avenue and Oak Street intersection

The first six days of this final phase of work will primarily be focused on the intersection of West 70th Avenue and Oak Street. Work will take place 24/7 starting Thursday night and is expected to be completed by the evening of Tuesday, August 27.

There will be significant traffic impacts to the area over these six days, in particular on Oak Street. Traffic control personnel and the VPD will be on-site to manage traffic and assist pedestrians at the intersection during construction. Road users are advised to use an alternative route when possible and to allow extra time to get to where they need to go, especially if they are headed to the airport.

Starting August 22, the following changes to traffic flow will be in place:  

• Traffic lanes will be reduced on Oak Street with at least one lane remaining open in each direction. 
• Through-traffic along West 70th Avenue may be restricted at the intersection. 

This intersection work has been prioritized to take place now to minimize traffic disruption over Labour Day long weekend and the launch of the new school year in early September. 

Ongoing impacts along Oak Street 

Following the intersection work, crews will continue their work on Oak Street between West 70th and West 64th Avenue until spring 2025. During this time, the following changes to traffic flow will be in place: 

• Traffic lanes will be reduced to two lanes in each direction on Oak Street during the day time. 
• Traffic lanes will reduce to one lane southbound and two lanes northbound on Oak Street during night work (8pm – 5am). 

Pedestrian access will remain throughout the project, except for short durations during specific work activities, where detour signage will be in place.  

Once complete, these upgrades will result in approximately one kilometre of new sewer pipes with a life expectancy of 100 years. This will support population growth, accommodate heavier rainfall related to climate change, and help protect water quality in the Fraser River.

Traffic tips 

• If you are travelling in and around the area, plan ahead and expect delays. 
• Follow all detours and abide by “No Parking” signs in the area. 
• Allow for extra time to get to where you need to go. 
• Avoid short-cutting through surrounding residential streets as they are not designed for high volumes of traffic. 
• Follow #VanTraffic or use our traffic cameras to check traffic conditions along your commute. 
• Visit translink.ca/alerts for changes or disruptions to your bus service. 
• Stay ahead of road closures at vancouver.ca/road-closures. 

Background 

The Oak Street Sewer Separation Upgrades Project began in October 2023 as part of a neighbourhood utilities servicing plan developed to enable growth in the Cambie Corridor. When complete, the new higher capacity, separated pipe system will serve the growing Cambie Corridor where more than 40,000 new residents are expected to live by 2040. The project will also advance the City’s regulatory requirement to eliminate Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) by 2050.

Learn more about the project.