September 3, 1998 

Mighty strange job, this. Two recent letters were published in THE EXAMINER: one referring to my arrogance and irresponsibility, the other saying my attitude "borders on the immoral". What had I done to precipitate such invective? What was my crime? Well, it's all because I'm against building a $4.2 million sound barrier when only one-third of the residents clearly said they want the thing built.

Talk of a sound barrier to mask the noise of the Ville-Marie autoroute goes back to the 80s, but concerted pressure started to build up in 1992. Since then, there has been two petitions, two polls, two simulations, one study, and two public meetings on the matter - not to mention dozens of committee meetings involving city staff, Council members, experts, and residents.

In 1992, a petition from about 200 households in the affected area (below Dorchester and St Catherine) prodded Council to commission a $42,000 feasibility study. This study measured a near-intolerable level of noise from the expressway, especially for people living on streets like Hallowell, Hillside and Prospect. It also confirmed the suspicions of residents about increased traffic: in 1994 there were 154,000 vehicles a weekday using the expressway, up from 60,000 in 1982!

This study recommended a 20-foot metal wall, nearly a mile long, mounted on the parapet of the autoroute itself. The estimated cost was $4.2 million, of which the Quebec Ministry of Transport could pay one-half. This wall would have reduced noise by 10 decibels, or from 70-75 decibels down to 60-65. The noise reduction is proportional to the height of the wall. So for a substantial drop, an even higher wall is needed.

Yet by thus taming an assault to the ear, one creates an assault to the eye: a barrier would block views. So we staged our first simulation in December 1994 by persuading CP to park 3 boxcars at the foot of various streets to give residents a chance to see what it would look like. We then conducted a detailed poll. Of 127 households reached, only 37 saw the simulation, of which 19 thought it acceptable and 14 said it wasn't.

In December 1995, we went a step further: we got Quebec to string up a ribbon from the light standards on the highway, again to simulate the effect of the wall. Another poll, with 399 households targeted. 218 were actually surveyed, of whom 33% were in favour of a 20-foot sound barrier, 28% were not, and the rest had no opinion. More importantly, when we talked to those house-holds living closest to the highway - within 300 feet - 35% approved, 37% disapproved, and 34% would not commit.

How can Council persuade all Westmounters to shoulder a $2 million expense - $300 per average single-family dwelling - when the people most directly affected are divided down the middle on the whole issue?

If that conclusion is arrogant, irresponsible, or immoral...I'm guilty.

• September 17, 1998 WESTMOUNT IN 1999: TWO REASONS TO CELEBRATE
  
• 2 Oct TAXATION BY MISREPRESENTATION
  
• 12 OCT on $500,000,000 TAX GRAB Tax grab turns into burlesque
  
• 16 OCT A MEETING WITH BOUCHARD
  
  
  Stories in 1997 are available on reauest dtnicholson@videotron.ca
  
  
  • Search "trent" matched 5 GAZETTE documents Mar 19th puls many others