SEAL BEACH : $267,000 Amassed for Freeway Sound Wall
The residents of Leisure World have passed the halfway point in their quest for a sound wall to reduce traffic noise from the San Diego Freeway.
“We have hundreds of people whose lives are dramatically impacted by the noise,” Seal Beach Councilman Joe Hunt said. “In certain areas of Leisure World, there’s no such thing as opening your windows.”
The fight for the $550,000 sound wall is being led by Hunt and Councilwoman Edna Wilson, who persuaded the council to loan Leisure World $100,000 for the project. The Golden Rain Foundation has loaned $100,000 for the project, and Leisure World residents have contributed $67,000.
Residents plan to ask the Orange County Transportation Commission for the $283,000 still needed.
Leisure World’s sound wall request is 159th of 200 projects waiting for state funds from the California Department of Transportation. Without private funding, Hunt said it could take 20 years for the wall to reach the top of the list.
The city is working to put together enough money to build the wall now. The loans would be repaid when Caltrans decides to fund the project.
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