Beaconsfield residents demand noise barrier

Residents living near Highway 20 in Beaconsfield, west of Montreal, say they are fed up with the noise and are demanding that the city andprovince erect a barrier to resolve the problem.

People living on Beaurepaire Drive, which runs parallel to the highway, presented a petition with 168 signatures at Beaconsfield City Hall on Monday, calling for the installation of a concrete barrier similar to ones recently erected along the highway farther east in Lachine and Pointe-Claire.

New residential construction in areas like le-Perrot has resulted in a significant increase in traffic over the past few years, and now, the noise has become unbearable, saidresident Joseph Matulis, who moved to the area 30 years ago.

"We can't sit out here and have a barbeque and just enjoy our backyard, because of the sound of the trains and the highway," he said.

Dominic Orlando, who lives one door down from Matulis, agreed.

"Makes it kind of hard to enjoy your home, with your yard, sitting on the balcony with your friends, because you might have to scream a little to be heard," he said.

According to the Quebec Transport Ministry's noise policy, the ministry will work with municipalities to put in place corrective measures in areas where noise pollution is equal to or above 65 dB.

The noise in Matulis's backyard varied between 70 dB and 90dB when measured by CBC News on Wednesday.

Beaconsfield Mayor David Pollock said city council is waiting to hear back from the Transport Ministry to see whether it will help fund a barrier.

The ministry did not respond to calls for comment.