Courtesy photo
	L'échangeur Turcot

Quebec’s transport ministry held an information session on April 19 about rehabilitating the soil at the construction site of the new Turcot Interchange. The event was held the same week that emergency repairs to the aging interchange caused traffic problems.

Some of the soil in the area is contaminated, and, if no measures are taken to limit the pollutants during construction work, there could be a risk to human health, said Claude Marcotte, geo-environment director at LVM, the engineering-construction company that assessed the site’s contamination.

Not all parts of the site are contaminated to the same extent, Marcotte explained. The soil containing petroleum hydrocarbons will be removed and either treated or disposed of, while other contaminated areas will be covered and isolated.

Marcotte added that the air quality in the area would be tested throughout the construction period, and steps to limit dust will be put in place, such as washing trucks and limiting their speed, and taking measures to ensure that strong winds don’t disperse the soil.

Audience members also had a chance to ask questions, and they brought up issues like the effect the pollutants could have on human health, neighborhood traffic from construction trucks, and how long the cleanup will take.

St. Henri resident Diane Lemon said, after the meeting, that she wasn’t satisfied with the session because it did not focus enough on the people who live in area, including the inconvenience to residents and the effects of construction on people’s health.

[ Anja Karadeglija ]