IMPROVING THE LAND TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURES IN THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY VICINITY OF MONTRÉAL-TRUDEAU AIRPORT IMPROVING THE LAND TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURES IN THE VICINITY OF MONTRÉAL-TRUDEAU AIRPORT Environmental Impact Assessment presented to the Minister of the Environment EXECUTIVE SUMMARY August 31, 2004 DAA project: 34114H MTQ file no.: 6-02-01/ 9674 Dorval / 2300 MTQ contract no.: 5200-98-AC01 Août 2004 IMPROVING THE LAND TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURES IN THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY VICINITY OF MONTRÉAL-TRUDEAU AIRPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 1 1. THE PROJECT: CONTEXT, ISSUES AND RATIONALE ............................................. 1 1.1 Transport Problems in the Project Area.......................................................................... 2 1.2 Proposed Concept .......................................................................................................... 5 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA’S COMPONENTS........................................................ 8 2.1 Delimitation of the Study Area......................................................................................... 8 2.2 Land Use Development................................................................................................. 10 2.2.1 Land Use and Distribution of Activities in the Area....................................................... 10 2.2.2 The Road Network ........................................................................................................ 12 2.2.3 The Public Transport Network....................................................................................... 13 2.2.4 Emergency Services ..................................................................................................... 13 2.2.5 Pedestrian and Bicycle Networks ................................................................................. 13 2.2.6 Public Service, Communications and Energy Networks............................................... 14 2.2.7 Major Land Use Designations and Planning Instruments............................................. 14 2.2.8 Urban Development and Projections ............................................................................ 16 2.3 Socio-economic Profile of the Population ..................................................................... 19 2.3.1 Economic Activity in the Study Area ............................................................................. 19 2.3.2 Economic Activity in the Expanded Study Area............................................................ 20 2.4 Air Quality...................................................................................................................... 23 2.5 Noise Environment........................................................................................................ 24 2.6 Archaeological Heritage................................................................................................ 26 2.7 Urban Heritage.............................................................................................................. 26 2.8 Landscape Quality ........................................................................................................ 26 2.9 Natural Environments.................................................................................................... 30 2.10 Water and Soil Characteristics...................................................................................... 31 3. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT VARIANTS .................................................................. 34 3.1 Determination of Variants.............................................................................................. 34 3.1.1 Solution 1 and its Variants ............................................................................................ 35 3.1.2 Solution 2 and its Variants ............................................................................................ 40 3.2 Variant Selected for the Project .................................................................................... 43 3.3 Description of the Selected Variant and its Implementation ......................................... 44 3.3.1 Traffic Flow Maintenance .............................................................................................. 46 3.3.2 Excavation and Embankment Material – Transport and Storage ................................. 46 3.3.3 Water Run-off and Drainage ......................................................................................... 46 3.3.4 Waste (Volume, Disposal Method & Location) and Rational Resource & Conservation Measures....................................................................................................................... 46 3.3.5 Maintenance and Operations Procedures .................................................................... 47 3.3.6 Required Labour and Work Calendar for Each Phase ................................................. 47 3.3.7 Project Life Cycle .......................................................................................................... 47 3.3.8 Preliminary Project Cost Estimates............................................................................... 47 4. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT .............................................................. 48 4.1 Environmental Assessment Approach .......................................................................... 48 4.2 Assessment of Impacts on the Human Environment.................................................... 49 4.2.1 Social Impacts............................................................................................................... 49 4.2.2 Land Use Planning and Urban Development................................................................ 51 4.2.3 Impact on Buildings and Lots........................................................................................ 51 4.2.4 Economic Impacts......................................................................................................... 54 4.2.5 Visual Impact Assessment............................................................................................ 55 4.2.6 Impacts on Archaeological Heritage ............................................................................. 58 Août 2004 i IMPROVING THE LAND TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURES IN THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY VICINITY OF MONTRÉAL-TRUDEAU AIRPORT 4.2.7 Impacts on Heritage Buildings ...................................................................................... 58 4.2.8 Impacts on Traffic Flow ................................................................................................. 58 4.2.9 Construction Engineering Impacts ................................................................................ 61 4.2.10 Impact on Air Quality.....................................................................................................61 4.2.11 Impact on the Noise Environment................................................................................. 64 4.3 Assessment of Impacts on the Biophysical Environment ............................................. 66 4.3.1 Impacts on Surface Water............................................................................................. 66 4.3.2 Impacts on Groundwater............................................................................................... 67 4.3.3 Impact on Soil Quality ................................................................................................... 69 4.3.4 Impact on the Natural Environment .............................................................................. 70 4.4 Summary of Impacts ..................................................................................................... 70 5. EMERGENCY MEASURES AND PUBLIC SAFETY................................................... 72 6. MONITORING/FOLLOW-UP PROGRAMS.................................................................. 73 6.1 Monitoring Program....................................................................................................... 73 6.2 Environmental Follow-up............................................................................................... 74 CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................... 75 Août 2004 ii IMPROVING THE LAND TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURES IN THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY VICINITY OF MONTRÉAL-TRUDEAU AIRPORT LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1.1 Location of the Study Zone ...................................................................................................3 Figure 1.2 Proposed Concept (2B).........................................................................................................7 Figure 2.1 Délimitation of the Study Area...............................................................................................9 Figure 2.2 Land Use .............................................................................................................................11 Figure 2.3 Dorval Interchange..............................................................................................................12 Figure 2.4 Future Development and Employment................................................................................18 Figure 2.5 Expanded Study Area .........................................................................................................21