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Let's Reimagine the Highway A5 Extension and Save the Old Growth
The Quebec Ministry of of Transport is about to begin preparatory work on the extension of Highway A5 from its current terminus at the Chelsea/LaPeche border into forested land adjacent to Gatineau Park. This involves clearcutting old-growth forest and levelling terrain.
We are asking that NO PREPARATION WORK start on the La Pêche side until ALL WORK IS COMPLETE on the Chelsea section of the extension.
Why?
Consider this as a worst-case scenario: trees are cut, habitat destroyed...political will or economic priorities change and our section is stalled, perhaps cancelled. Needless ecosystem destruction has happened.
No matter what your opinion is on the highway extension, we are hoping that no one wants to see the environment devastated for nothing.
If at some point it is to proceed, then at the least in the interim the path and layout are modified to lessen the impact on our landscape. Using a construction plan from 25 years ago is unbelievable. One hopes that much has been learned since then about the value of our environment and how to minimize ecological impact of autoroutes.
We are asking that NO PREPARATION WORK start on the La Pêche side until ALL WORK IS COMPLETE on the Chelsea section of the extension.
Why?
Consider this as a worst-case scenario: trees are cut, habitat destroyed...political will or economic priorities change and our section is stalled, perhaps cancelled. Needless ecosystem destruction has happened.
No matter what your opinion is on the highway extension, we are hoping that no one wants to see the environment devastated for nothing.
If at some point it is to proceed, then at the least in the interim the path and layout are modified to lessen the impact on our landscape. Using a construction plan from 25 years ago is unbelievable. One hopes that much has been learned since then about the value of our environment and how to minimize ecological impact of autoroutes.
SOS Wakefield
In many respects, A5X is a continuation of the work of the SOS Wakefield initiative, which mobilized support around the need for better environmental assessment for the highway extension, and won significant concessions from the authorities.
Highway Design 101
This is the current Quebec Ministry of Transport design for the interchange at Highway 5 and Valley Drive in Wakefield
Some alternatives
These are illustrations of the impact of the current design and some alternatives for the interchange.
The yellow and black slashes on this Preliminary Topographic Model demonstrate the area of Wakefield Mountain that will be removed for the 4 lanes (north and southbound) as they enter/leave the Interchange.
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The pink marker illustrates the idea of a single large traffic circle, which is one possible alternative to the proposed interchange.
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The final design of the traffic circle to scale has been overlaid on an aerial photo of the site.
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This Aerial is from MTQ's Master Plan of the path of the highway.
The green areas denote the Quarry Mountain (left on the drawing to south,) which is now completely blown away and the zone of destruction/devastation awaiting Valley Verde Aquifer and Wakefield Mountain.
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This is a 3-dimensional model of the site. The Mountain and the Area of concern (red arrow) has been built as a removable piece.
Because MTQ has not yet released the engineering drawings, the extent ot the demolition of the mountain is still unknown.
What is virtually certain is that trucks heading north will surmount a rise and find before them a visually-confusing tangle of interchange choices, which won't promote safety.
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