Sound Wall Proves a Disappointment

For the past 20 years, I have been a resident of Orange County and have lived along the route of the 405 Freeway. The freeway was completed to San Diego shortly after I moved in. Then years ago, the California Transportation Department told us we were on a waiting list for a sound wall. After promises and then delays, the decision was made, this year, to add a sound wall to the 405 Freeway, the reason being the addition of a commuter lane.

My neighbors and I were encouraged and looked forward to a wall of the same quality as latest ones that have been built along the 405 Freeway through Long Beach. These walls are built high enough to deflect the sound from trucks as well as automobiles.

Our wall was finished last week after 5 months of work. To our disappointment, it is just high enough to cover the automobiles, but not high enough to cover the trucks. Consequently, there is no noticeable reduction in the noise level.

With all the work that is involved in expanding a freeway and putting up a sound wall, what were the motives of Caltrans in not engineering a wall that would do the job it was intended to do? Are they serving the California taxpayer and the residents by doing a job that meets the minimum state requirements but does not reduce the noise?

Perhaps the sound wall requirement when a freeway is expanded should be amended to require a minimum noise level along the freeway. Perhaps Caltrans could correct our wall before the additions to this section of the freeway are completed and put into service. Perhaps then we could get some benefit from our years of highway taxes.

GARY CARSON

Westminster