AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: national highway 1 on June 14, 2010, 02:43:13 AM

Title: What is your favourite Sound Wall design?
Post by: national highway 1 on June 14, 2010, 02:43:13 AM
Hi everyone,
Every time you drive past along an urban freeway, do you ever take notice of the sound walls?
Here is one of my favourites from CA 91:
(https://www.aaroads.com/california/images091/ca-091_wb_exit_027_02.jpg)
Title: Re: What is your favourite Sound Wall design?
Post by: Scott5114 on June 14, 2010, 02:48:15 AM
Oklahoma uses a fairly standardized "puzzle piece" wall design that has a number of cross-shaped concrete plates making up the wall. Boring, but attractive.
Title: Re: What is your favourite Sound Wall design?
Post by: codyg1985 on June 14, 2010, 10:49:24 AM
Alabama uses no freeway sound walls to my knowledge. Mississippi has a nice one along I-55 just south of the TN state line in Southhaven, MS that has magnolias painted on it.
Title: Re: What is your favourite Sound Wall design?
Post by: roadfro on June 14, 2010, 05:35:35 PM
Nevada has a couple different soundwall designs. Most of the current designs are either a generic grooved pattern, or the grooved pattern with some variation of mountains, rivers and valleys cut out of said grooved pattern.

With newer projects, NDOT is putting more into the aesthetics in the beginning. Now, for larger corridor projects, soundwalls and bridge decorations present a common motif throughout the project area. The result ends up being that each major project will have a distinct soundwall and bridge design that is unlikely to be repeated anywhere else in the state.
Title: Re: What is your favourite Sound Wall design?
Post by: golden eagle on June 14, 2010, 05:42:02 PM
Quote from: codyg1985 on June 14, 2010, 10:49:24 AM
Alabama uses no freeway sound walls to my knowledge. Mississippi has a nice one along I-55 just south of the TN state line in Southhaven, MS that has magnolias painted on it.

I've never really paid attention to that. Next time I go to Memphis, I'll need to take note of it.
Title: Re: What is your favourite Sound Wall design?
Post by: brownpelican on June 15, 2010, 01:07:22 AM
I love the ones in Louisiana that have the state bird on them.
Title: Re: What is your favourite Sound Wall design?
Post by: hbelkins on June 15, 2010, 10:50:13 AM
There are some interesting designs on sound barriers along I-77 in Canton and I-75 in Dayton.
Title: Re: What is your favourite Sound Wall design?
Post by: papaT10932 on June 15, 2010, 11:50:33 AM
Although I wouldn't say that this design is my favorite, the sound walls on I-80 in New Jersey have designs that look like giant sperms. I, sadly, don't have any photos.
Title: Re: What is your favourite Sound Wall design?
Post by: UptownRoadGeek on June 15, 2010, 01:04:26 PM
Quote from: brownpelican on June 15, 2010, 01:07:22 AM
I love the ones in Louisiana that have the state bird on them.

I love the ones in Baton Rouge with the pelicans.  The one's in New Orleans have Palmettos on them.
Title: Re: What is your favourite Sound Wall design?
Post by: signalman on June 16, 2010, 06:12:19 PM
Quote from: papaT10932 on June 15, 2010, 11:50:33 AM
Although I wouldn't say that this design is my favorite, the sound walls on I-80 in New Jersey have designs that look like giant sperms. I, sadly, don't have any photos.

Where along I-80 are these located?  I don't recall any sound walls resembling sperm, or anything for that matter.
Title: Re: What is your favourite Sound Wall design?
Post by: shadyjay on June 17, 2010, 11:37:23 PM
Quote from: signalman on June 16, 2010, 06:12:19 PM
Quote from: papaT10932 on June 15, 2010, 11:50:33 AM
Although I wouldn't say that this design is my favorite, the sound walls on I-80 in New Jersey have designs that look like giant sperms. I, sadly, don't have any photos.

Where along I-80 are these located?  I don't recall any sound walls resembling sperm, or anything for that matter.

IIRC, they are between I-95/NJTpke and the Garden State Parkway.  Funny... when I would drive through there, my co-worker said the exact same thing!
Title: Re: What is your favourite Sound Wall design?
Post by: architect77 on July 16, 2010, 06:03:43 PM
Raleigh's Beltline and I-85 through Durham (pictured) use brick sound walls.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi174.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fw102%2Farchitect77%2F85durham.jpg&hash=929c602b14529ea3ef3ad722d1268f0a06600931)
Title: Re: What is your favourite Sound Wall design?
Post by: ctsignguy on July 16, 2010, 06:49:05 PM
I dislike them all....i consider them a waste of money that the States (and taxpayers) do not have (take that money and get the roads fixed!)

If you move to a home close to an interstates highway, as far as I am concerned, too bad.  You chose it, you knew the highway was there, now deal with it...you shouldnt expect the taxpayers to pick up the tab because you dont like the noise

Maybe i grew up in an earlier time....when i was a kid, i could listen to the trucks on the Connecticut Turnpike two miles down the road from my grandmothers house...and for me, that was a siren call to the open road...to go travel SOMEWHERE...
Title: Re: What is your favourite Sound Wall design?
Post by: agentsteel53 on July 16, 2010, 07:22:25 PM
generally uniform noise, like an interstate highway, puts me to sleep.  I don't much see a problem with it.  Unless you've got cars doing lots of idling, slamming doors, honking, or colliding, you don't really need a sound wall.