The high price tag associated with the construction of a sound barrier on the south side of Highway 20 is being cited as the main reason Beaconsfield residents oppose the project, according to a survey released Tuesday by the city’s mayor and city council. We do.

But that does not mean that the matter is settled. There seems to be some disagreement about why the constraint is needed in the first place.

Reconciling that fact is important because it establishes whether the municipality will have to pay a portion of the roughly $60 million sound wall.

If noise pollution is linked to health concerns, the government will have to fund the entire project. But if the barrier is needed only to prevent traffic jams, then the city itself will have to contribute 25 per cent.

In a Tuesday statement, Beaconsfield officials said that as of late May 17, the Ministry of Transport (MTQ) told them that “there was no data regarding health issues in Beaconsfield due to the highway” and that the project was “completely exhausted”. The aim was to improve the quality of “life for residents.”

But the city says Montreal public health expert Dr David Kaiser denied that claim in June when he told residents that “the health of people living within 150 meters on both sides of the highway is compromised by noise. “

“Considering the new information and these conflicting positions, I have written twice, in June and July, to the responsible ministers for transport and health, François Bonnardelle and Christian Dube, seeking clarification from them,” Mayor Georges Borrell said in the press release. . ,

“We need to know if there are any health problems for our citizens living close to Highway 20, as Dr Kaiser said.”

A lager survey commissioned by Beaconsfield indicates that 64 percent of Beaconsfield residents disagreed with the project because it would be too expensive. There were concerns that taxes would be raised as a result.

In a statement to CTV News, an MTQ spokesperson said the government intends to work closely with the city if the city wants to move forward.

“If the project goes ahead, the cost will be shared between the two organisations, with MTQ paying 75 per cent and the city paying 25 per cent,” said spokesman Louis-André Bertrand, referring to a previous agreement with Beaconsfield. .

The city of Beaconsfield said it was waiting for Quebec ministers to answer their questions before making any decisions regarding the future of the project.

The noise barrier project was initially proposed by MTQ and is in the planning stages for almost a decade.

With files from Matt Grillo of CTV.