Reconstruction of Saint-Maurice Street in Trois-Rivières and Optimization of Stormwater Management Practices

The city of Trois-Rivières wants to identify and assess the feasibility of using various types of green infrastructure when replacing outdated water and sewer pipes on Saint Maurice Street and in full reconstruction of a section of the street. Currently, the 1.3-kilometre-long section drains part of the stormwater into two ponds on the periphery, then into a stream. The rest goes into a single existing sewer which overflows into a stream at Moulin pumping station. The city has decided to align redevelopment of Saint-Maurice Street with its sustainability plans and policies, specifically its policy on forest and landscape heritage conservation, protection and enhancement. When replacing the outdated infrastructure, Trois-Rivières plans to create bioretention areas to improve stormwater management practices and surface-water quality. With these structures, the project will eliminate all runoff from 90% of 24-hour rainfall events and remove 80% of suspended solids from runoff at the site. The feasibility study will be conducted by a multidisciplinary team and based on a systems approach. The environmental, social, technical and economic repercussions of various development options for Saint-Maurice Street will be analyzed. The options will be compared according to economic and life cycle analyses of each option and the project’s impacts will be measured in an experimental follow-up by universities after street reconstruction is completed. In addition to improving runoff management, the project will help improve the forest cover and living environment, reduce urban heat islands and increase citizen participation. A final report on the study recommendations will be produced and presented to the City Council for approval. The conclusions from the feasibility study will be published in a guide for similar initiatives and will be used to develop and implement two strategies for further projects: a training strategy for contractors and an education and awareness strategy for neighbours and the general public. (Project description from original funding application)