B727 FLT CREW ON VISUAL APCH TO RWY 11 AT OAK EXPERIENCED CTLR ISSUED LOW ALT ALERT AFTER COMPLIANCE WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS.

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ON APCH TO OAK; ON VECTORS TO RWY 11 AT 2000 FT; 10 DME NE OF OAK ON A HDG OF 200 FT; NORCAL APCH CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 11; 'CROSS BRIDGE MID-SPAN AT OR BELOW 1800 FT AT 6 DME.' FO WAS PF; COMMENCED TURN TO CROSS MID-SPAN AND COMMENCED SLIGHT DSCNT TO COMPLY WITH THE 'CROSS AT OR BELOW 1800 FT' RESTR. APCHING MID-SPAN; LEVELING AT ABOUT 1700 FT TO COMPLY WITH THE RESTR AND INTERCEPT THE ILS GS; NORCAL APCH STATED; 'LOW ALT ALERT; MVA IN YOUR AREA IS 2000 FT.' THE 'CROSS MID-SPAN' CLRNC ALSO PLACED US R OF RWY 11 CTRLINE. WE CROSSED THE BRIDGE; CORRECTED TO THE CTRLINE AND CONTINUED WITH THE VISUAL APCH; INTERCEPTING AND FLYING THE ILS GS. THE TERMINOLOGY 'CROSS AT OR BELOW 1800 FT' AND CLRNC FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 11 LED US TO NATURALLY COMMENCE A DSCNT TO 1800 FT AND BELOW. HOW COULD WE COMPLY WITH THE 'AT OR BELOW 1800 FT' RESTR WITHOUT COMMENCING A DSCNT? THE DIRECTION TO CROSS MID-SPAN MAY HAVE TAKEN US TOO FAR TO THE R OF CTRLINE; VICE JUST HAVING US INTERCEPT AND FLY THE RWY 11 LOC.