At a cost of $12 million, the rehabilitation work along Chemin de la Rivière will cover more than 6 km and should be completed by 2024. The work will include, among other things, the complete and partial rehabilitation of certain sections, the redevelopment of the Voie Verte intersection, the replacement of guardrails and several improvements for active transportation.
Improvements for active transportation
To promote safe travel for active users, there will be several improvements to the road.
- Redesign of grades and curves
- Five new crosswalks
- Intersection with Route 105
- At the intersection with Voie verte Chelsea
- In front of the Farm Point community centre
- At the Voie verte Chelsea connection at the north end
- At the Chemin Saint-Clément intersection
- Additional stops
- Buffer zone with bollards near the Cascades Club
- Extension of the 30 km/h zone
- Formalization of a designated roadway on the northern section
The Active Transportation Master Plan originally called for a designated roadway along Chemin de la Rivière. However, following the feasibility study, only a 4 km section between 152 Chemin de la Rivière and the northern boundary met the criteria. Steep grades, multiple curves and reduced visibility in some areas on the southern section did not allow for a safe designated roadway. However, a paved shoulder is planned at this location.
The Municipality had also evaluated the possibility of adding bicycle lanes. However, due to the geometry of the existing road and proximity to the Gatineau River, this could not be done at an affordable cost. In addition, the impact on the environment would have been too great. The Voie Verte along the road offers a safe and user-friendly alternative for active transportation.
Environmental mitigation measures in place
Due to the proximity of the construction site to wetlands and the Gatineau River, the Municipality conducted a characterization study of the natural environment and had to obtain certificates of authorization from Ministère de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs, as well as from Fisheries and Oceans Canada. These authorizations were necessary to ensure compliance with provincial and federal environmental protection standards.
Several mitigation measures were also put in place to reduce the environmental impact of the work:
- Vegetation protection
- Riparian restoration
- Invasive alien species management
- Protection of waterways, fish habitats and wetlands
The rehabilitation work on Chemin de la Rivière requires the removal of certain trees and shrubs, where necessary, given the scope of the work to be carried out and the requirements.
The Municipality is complying with all environmental requirements, and has even reduced tree cutting in certain sections to a minimum. A characterization study of the natural environment and environmental site surveys were carried out. A summary of the apprehended impacts of the work on the environment and the planned mitigation measures is also available in the presentation available below.
All work has been approved by the ministère des Pêches et Océans (MPO) and the ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP).
There are several reasons why some trees have to be cut down as part of this major project. For example:
- replacing some culverts and reprofiling ditches to adapt to the new reality of climate change
- widening the road to ensure the safety of active transport users
- installation of drainage systems to ensure efficient water runoff and the longevity of the infrastructure.
- protecting the road embankment against erosion
Renaturalization measures are planned for work along the banks of the Gatineau River.
The installation of the shrubs mentioned below, along with hydroseeding, will ensure the revegetation of the sections of the shoreline affected by the work.
- Stonework
- Filling of stonework with granular material
- Placement of vegetal soil
- Hydraulic seeding
- Planting of more than 20,000 shrubs in the cavities, adapted and recommended for the revegetation of riparian buffer strips in Quebec.
