I just sent a message to the State on their website.

Great! let me know what you find. Maybe this could be considered a "shovel ready project!"

Pedro -

This is in response to your February 10, 2009 inquiry concerning
traffic noise abatement along I-91 in New Haven.

Currently, the Department provides noise abatement, where
warranted, when highway capacity is added as part of a transportation
project. These are classified as Type I projects that are eligible for
federal funding. Presently, there are no such projects along I-91 in New
Haven. Any noise abatement in the area would have to be provided
through the Statewide Retrofit Noise Barrier Program (Type II).
However, at the present time, the State Legislature has not appropriated
funds for this Program.

Should additional information regarding noise abatement be
required, please contact Ms. Cynthia S. Holden, Transportation Assistant
Planning Director, at (860) 594-2922.

Desmond P. Dickey
Transportation Planner
Office of Environmental Planning
Room 2159 NE2
Unit 4802, Bureau of Policy and Planning
State of Connecticut
Department of Transportation
2800 Berlin Turnpike
PO BOX 317546
Newington, CT 06131-7546

Phone: 860.594.2945
FAX: 860.594.3028

Mr. Dickey, thank you for the response! I'm assuming that the I91-95 interchange work which is only a few hundred feet from this area does not count as a capacity upgrade for this particular stretch.
Reading your comments and this:
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/rpt/2005-R-0679.htm
It seems that the next course of action is to lobby our state representatives in this area (Cameron Staples and Martin Looney) to see if with the federal funding coming as part of the stimulus package, or with any other funding coming to road construction, the sound barrier might be able to be funded through one of those sources. Thanks again for taking the time to answer our questions!

Looking at what the cost of a barrier for this area might be, the link that I posted gave a rough cost of $200 per linear foot for a wooden sound barrier. The barrier would be approximately 800 feet long so a rough (and likely too low) cost would be approximately $160,000. The entire route of the barrier is owned by the state, so there are no barriers to it's construction.

There are also the following guidelines that I believe this project passes:

1. Noise receptors (buildings or land uses such as parks) under consideration for abatement must have been in existence prior to the construction of the existing highway which has been identified as the major contributor to the noise climate due to traffic. Existence of noise receptors is to be determined by local assessor’s records.

-------This neighborhood has been in existence since the 1840's so that's not a problem

2. The existing outdoor noise level for the first row of receptors at the time of evaluation must equal or exceed 60 dbA.

----- This is likely the case, but I have a portable sound meter, so I'll see what the noise load is.

3. A project priority ranking (based on the latest priority list for retrofit project locations) must be applied using the project priority ranking number based upon several factors including noise level, the number of receptor units built before and after the expressway, land use category, and the cost-effectiveness of abatement. Locations with combinations of high noise levels, dense population, and lower abatement cost would rank higher than those with moderate noise levels, sparse population density, and high abatement cost

----
There are several hundred people who live within a block of this on Lyon, William and Grand. I would hope that this would qualify as dense with high noise levels and moderate abatement costs.

There is a caveat of the following
9. For corridors previously evaluated for noise impact in association with roadway construction or reconstruction projects

As far as I know this has not been done recently, but I am assuming that I might be able to contact Ms. Holden for any records that might speak to this.

Pedro,
Great research. We should forward this issue to Mr Staples and Mr Looney.
If you have an email address, using the "share" button at the bottom of the issue will enable you.

State has responded

Closed for no reason.

As a Lyon Street resident, the loud noise from trucks in the wee hours of the morning is obscene not to mention throughout the day. We need sound barriers!!!

What is going on with this issue from a year ago?

Is there any movement afoot to appropriate state funds towards the DOT's Statewide Retrofit Noise Barrier Program?

I wonder if someone here would have the time to do a straw poll of our delegation in Hartford and see if 1) they support this and 2) if they are willing to push for it next year.

Just commenting that this is happening. I won't close it until construction definitely commences.
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/shhhh..._noises_off_maybe/

Good work.

As of 2013 City departments have begun to review, acknowledge and respond to SeeClickFix issues. Since your issue is in the category titled "No Service Request" and was submitted prior to 2013, we are going to close and archive it. If this issue still requires City attention, please report as a new SeeClickFix issue. Thank you.

Not to nit-pick, but this SCF is still active. The sound barrier is currently under construction, but not yet complete. I will close this out (HAPPILY), once the barrier is finished, but I'm going to leave this open in case there are any issues during construction.

This issue was recategorized from Uncategorized to Other.

It's all done except for the paint, and has made a world of difference for those who live on Lyon and William street!
THANK YOU, DOT. I can now close this 5 year old SCF!