Meeting Will Provide Sound Wall Update

Residents living along sections of the Ventura, Hollywood and San Diego freeways will get the chance to sound off about sound walls at an informational community meeting tonight.

California Department of Transportation officials will be on hand to answer residents’ questions regarding sound-wall construction along the Ventura Freeway between the Hollywood and San Diego freeway interchange and Hollywood Way, an area that includes portions of North Hollywood, Valley Village and Toluca Lake.

“We basically want residents to know where they are on the state’s priority list for sound-wall construction,” said Stuart Waldman, field representative for Assemblyman BobHertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks), who is co-hosting the session with Assemblyman Scott Wildman (D-Los Angeles).

A representative from City Councilman Mike Feuer’s office is also scheduled to attend the meeting, Waldman said.

Plans to build sound walls were put on hold following the Northridge earthquake in 1994, Waldman said.

State money that would have paid for the sound walls was spent to retrofit freeways or rebuild sound walls crumbled by the quake.

In the years since the temblor, Waldman said, Caltrans has given priority to communities that are willing to pay a portion of the cost to build sound walls.

“Our office has gotten a number of calls from residents who want to know where they stand on the list,” said Miriam Jaffe, Hertzberg’s chief of staff. “This meeting is a way to bring the community together regarding this issue.”

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at Toluca Lake Elementary School, 4840 Cahuenga Blvd., North Hollywood.