Proposed sound barrier to quiet highway noise in Longueuil sparks debate on who should pay for it

Alejandra Camacho and her family love spending time in their backyard in Longueuil, but the peace and quiet can be disrupted by noise coming from Route 116.

A sound barrier to block the noise would help, but the city wants residents to help foot the bill.

Camacho says she called the city when she made an offer on the house in 2020. “They told me the money was there, and the wall would get built. I thought we would get a bonus, not suffer a loss,” she said.

A sound wall already exists, and the city paid for it.

Now, however, it says the project’s rising costs mean it can no longer pay for extending the barrier on its own.

At a meeting last month, the city proposed the 265 residents living near the highway pay a portion.

For Camacho, that would mean an additional $1,800 a year—more than half of her current municipal tax bill.

“Why was the first phase paid for by all taxpayers, and that’s no longer the case for phase two? It makes no sense,” she said.

In a statement, the City of Longueuil said: “All concerned residents can express their views about the proposal on our website. One thing is certain: the city will not be able to move forward without an alternative financial scenario. If the status quo persists, the project will have to be put on hold.”

That answer doesn’t sit well with resident Yvon Fortier.

“Forget it,” he told CTV News. “If it means I have to pay for it, I don’t want it. I’m retired, I want to continue to live comfortably. We also don’t want to sell the house at a loss.”

A decision on whether to extend the wall is expected by the fall.