Ste-Anne asking ministry to pay for sound wall

Expanded Highway 20 producing noise that exceeds 65-decibel guideline limit

Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue council is requesting financial support from the Ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ) to build a sound wall on the south side of a particularly noisy stretch of Highway 20.

“The talk about building a sound wall has been around for a least 10 years,” Mayor Paola Hawa said. “Ever since Highway 20 expanded, it’s been running closer to homes and with the increase of traffic from the off island, it’s noisy, noisy, noisy. We get complaints.”

The town hired a company to test the noise levels at points between Maple and St-Pierre Sts. The guidelines established by Quebec dictate that sound levels should not exceed 65 decibels. In the case of roads located near residential, institutional and recreational areas, the MTQ recommends sound levels not exceed 55 decibels. Hawa said the study showed sound levels reached 70 decibels at certain points.

“The noise was off the charts,” she said. “With decibel levels that high we are eligible for help from the MTQ. Building a sound wall is very expensive. A town our size can’t afford to pay for it all.”

Hawa said the estimated cost is $4.5 million.

In the past, the province has offered to pay 50 per cent of a project such as this. But Hawa said paying for half would still mean $2.25 million — an exorbitant price tag for a town of around 5,000.

“It’s not fair,” Hawa said. “The MTQ created this situation. It should be up to the MTQ to fix it.”

Quebec broke with its payment procedure in 2007, when concrete sound barriers were installed along the south side of Highway 20 in Lachine. The MTQ paid 75 per cent of

The MTQ created this situation. It should be up to the MTQ to fix it. PAOLA HAWA, mayor, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue

the $38.5-million installation. The deal was struck to compensate the borough for having to relinquish two highway access points, at 14th Ave. and 25th Ave.

Beaconsfield has been working to get a sound barrier on the south side of Highway 20 built for years. Robert Poëti was transport minister in 2015 when he made an offer for the government to pay 75 per cent of the cost and Beaconsfield to handle 25 per cent. But a shovel has yet to hit the ground. In October, Beaconsfield representatives met with Transport Québec to discuss a technical study which must be completed before anything else can be done.

“The (sound wall) project will take years,” Hawa said. “The MTQ is not known for quick turnarounds. Definitely, in this case, patience is a virtue. Just look at Beaconsfield as an example.”