Martin C. Barry
Homeowners who live on a stretch of Guillemette St. alongside Autoroute 15 in Laval’s Marc-Aurèle-Fortin district won’t have to put up with the constant roar of highway traffic much longer, following word that the provincial government and the city have agreed to share the cost of a new $5.12 million anti-noise wall.
Last week, Laval mayor Marc Demers and Marc-Aurèle-Fortin city councillor Gilbert Dumas joined Sainte-Rose CAQ MNA Christopher Skeete for an official ground turning near a spot along Guillemette St. where the wall will be going up.
Residents to benefit
“Those living alongside on Guillemette St. will be able to celebrate now that this anti-noise screen is going to be re-built, offering them more comfort while benefiting a large number of residents,” Skeete said during a ceremony held near the site.
“You know, we can hear the noise of that highway right now,” added Skeete. “So I think the citizens who live on the side here deserve a little bit of calm. The quality of life of citizens being a priority of your government, I am pleased that the screen will be rebuilt and extended 50 metres south and 20 metres north.
A-15 traffic increases
“In all, the structure will be 1.1 kilometres long and will improve the quality of life of the citizens of Sainte-Rose,” he continued. “The extension of this screen can also be seen in the context of the use of the Laurentian autoroute which is an essential link and on which traffic hasn’t ceased growing in recent years. Nearly 150,000 vehicles circulate daily on this artery. The decision for this made-to-measure solution responds to the needs of the city and its residents.”
The City of Laval had previously built a wooden sound barrier covered with vines in the same spot, although it was reported by some to be not very adequate. Over the years, there was at least one occasion when residents turned up at Laval city hall to complain about it during a city council meeting. The new wall will be built of more durable materials to exacting specifications.
Quality to improve
“The completion of the upgrading and improvement work of the acoustic screens along the Laurentian Autoroute on Guillemette St. will improve the quality of life of the citizens in the neighbourhod by providing them with more tranquility,” Demers said, while noting that the old wall had reached the end of its usefullness. He said the new wall will be slightly longer and have better quality.
Demers praised the CAQ government for responding very quickly and providing the means for the new sound barrier shortly after the provincial election last fall. According to the mayor, the work involved should take around six months. He said the wall’s structure will do the job primarily of deadening the sound from Autoroute 15, while the green cover will help conceal the fact there is a wall there.
Solid new construction
Work on the sound barrier is expected to start around the beginning of June. Whereas the old wall consisted primarily of plywood with some overgrowth of vegetation and vines, the new one will built (in accordance with provincial standards and protocols for highway sound barrier construction) of steel and rock wool.
An overgrowth of vines will also be applied. While the current wall is 1,150 metres long, the new wall will be 70 metres longer. The City of Laval will be supervising and carrying out the construction. According to the city, more than 150,000 vehicles per day pass along Autoroute at that particular spot.
