Sound walls rising from Boca to Deerfield
Seven noise-blocking structures planned along I-95
If you live near a stretch of Interstate 95 under construction, you may be getting some quiet: Seven noise-blockingwalls are planned fromBoca Raton, south of Glades Road, to Deerfield Beach, south of Southwest 10th Street.
One of the soundwalls, near the Fairfield Gardens community in Boca Raton, is already complete, rising 22 feet.
The I-95 noise had carried into parts of Fairfield Gardens, but the newwall resolved that, saidDavid Abramson, with the homeowners association board. “I’ve been back there,” he said, “and it’s night and day now.”
The soundwalls fromBoca Raton to Deerfield Beach coincide with an I-95 plan to widen and convert carpool lanes into two toll express lanes in each direction.
The toll express lanes are expected to open by spring 2022, weather permitting, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
It can takemonths to build any of the soundwalls, which aremade fromprecast concrete and rise anywhere from8 feet to 22 feet. Panels in the middle get tropical designs, usually birds, with plainwalls on either side.
The other communities receiving sound walls:
Mizner Forest in Boca Ratonwill receive a 20-footwall. Construction is expected to start Tuesday.
Palm Beach Farms, Boca Square, Raintree and Palmetto ParkWest in Boca Raton will each get an 8-foot replacementwall.
Country ClubVillage in Boca Raton will receive either an 8-foot retaining wall or a 14-footwall, depending on the location.
Tivoli Park andNatura in Deerfield Beach eachwill have 22-footwalls.
Meantime, noise barriers already in southern Broward could be expanded or modified for an I-95 and I-595 express-lane project. One project, atHollywood Boulevard and Sheridan Street, is in the design phase. They still are being considered along I-95, betweenHollywood andHallandale boulevards and at the Broward Boulevard interchange.
Officers decide whether thewalls are needed after they use devices to measure the noise. Officials consider building soundwalls when the noise level meets a federal standard of at least 67 decibels. By contrast, a rock concert could reach as high as 100 ormore decibels.