Oxford Street, which borders the Science Center on its east side and runs through the heart of Harvard's science area, could be permanently closed to auto traffic even after a repair project is finished, according to one plan floated by a Cambridge realtor.

The street was closed March 24 after a sewer line collapsed underneath the asphalt. Repairs will be finished in the middle of this week, and the road will reopen to through traffic.

However, according to Harvard's Director of Community Relations Mary H. Power, realtor Frederick R. Meyer suggested in the last two weeks that the street be closed to traffic permanently and to be transformed into a pedestrian walkway.

"He's raising it as an idea to see how the community feels about it," said Power.

Meyer, who lives in a neighborhood around Oxford Street and works in the Square, was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Power said she thinks Meyer's plan would cut off traffic between Oxford Street's intersections with Kirkland Street on the east and Everett Street on the north. About a quarter-mile in length, the closed portion of the street is small in size but cuts off Oxford Street as a thoroughfare between Mass. Ave. and Beacon Street near Somerville.

Culver said the temporary closing for construction work has diverted delivery routes and bus patterns and has created severe limitations on heavier vehicles approaching the area.

It is unclear whether Meyer intends the street to be closed to all traffic--including University deliveries--or to public traffic only.

"If the street were closed to all traffic, it would be a horrendous problem for the University," said Brian C. Culver, Harvard's project coordinator of engineering and utilities.