Phase II Characterization Studies for Highway System Development at the Place-Charles-LeMoyne Hub

Located by the Jacques-Cartier Bridge access ramp, Place-Charles-LeMoyne is the gateway to the city of Longueuil. Over the past dozen years, this 125-ha area has seen extensive growth and increased congestion. Owing to the presence of fill of unknown origin and environmental quality and properties of interest with unknown contamination, before planning highway system redevelopment in the area, Longueuil will undertake Phase II characterization studies to determine the contamination level and the environmental risks. Seven sites of interest are located near the Place Longueuil shopping mall and east of the Longueuil Metro station/Université de Sherbrooke complex. The fill layers are known to contain contaminants that could have ecotoxicological impacts and may also be incompatible with land use. In addition, a number of risky activities have been observed on neighbouring properties, such as a snow dump, a car dealership and a power transformer substation. The principal contaminants likely to be found on the site are petroleum and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, metals, and volatile organic compounds. The characterization will involve taking soil and groundwater samples for chemical analysis in a laboratory (40 3-m-deep boreholes and 40 6-m-deep boreholes). The groundwater samples will be obtained by converting some boreholes into groundwater observation wells. The project’s objectives are inclusive, dynamic and representative of the city’s strategic sustainable development plan and active transportation plan. Internal steering and technical committees will be consulted on renovation of the area. A Web site, (longueuilcentreville.com) has been created to share information on project progress with the community and a Web forum will be available where citizens can share their ideas and hopes for the project. The chemical analysis results will be used to obtain an environmental profile of the area that will serve as a basis for the environmental rehabilitation strategy. The project aims to humanize the site and improve access to public transit, giving the area some of the features required for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). A shift to active transportation will reduce GHG emissions from personal vehicle transportation and land use can be made more efficient by reducing the space reserved for cars and promoting access to green spaces. Decontamination of the land will enhance its value and encourage construction of office buildings and reserved bus lanes, attract companies and foster public health. The project aims to be both a showcase and a catalyst for promoting active transportation through brownfield rehabilitation. (Project description from original funding application)