Sections of SE Pioneer Way in downtown Oak Harbor will be closed to vehicular traffic today and Thursday as road crews lay down a final layer of asphalt and road striping.

According to Project Manager Larry Cort, work was to begin at 7 a.m. and largely flow in a westerly direction, beginning with SE Ireland Street. Paving is expected to be ongoing until about 7 p.m. tonight and end just shy of City Beach Street.

The road is expected to reopen for evening hours.

Work will resume at 7 a.m. Thursday. The paving crew will begin at the intersection at City Beach and SE Pioneer Way before moving to SE Ilwaco Alley. Work will then move in an easterly direction, ending at Midway Boulevard at about 7 p.m.

The skipping around by the road crew is necessary so that asphalt trucks don’t drive on the freshly laid blacktop, Cort said. It is largely the result of having to work around the fenced off archaeological area between Ireland and Ilwaco. It’s not yet clear when that block will be paved.

Cort said sidewalks will be open both days and that all businesses can be accessed from parallel streets. Flaggers will be on hand to direct traffic.