Cheektowaga residents who live near the Eastbound I-90 have the option to get noise abatement barriers between their homes and the thruway.
The noise abatement proposal is in response to the New York State Thruway Authority's decision to add an additional lane on the Eastbound I-90 near the Cleveland Drive exit to help alleviate congestion caused by the current lane setup. Presently, the right-most auxiliary lane ends just as some drivers are merging onto the Thruway from the 33 and others are trying to stay in the right hand lane to continue onto the I-290. The Thruway Authority believes that extending the auxiliary lane would make it easier and safer for both sets of drivers.
However, a noise study reveals that the extra lane would cause the noise level coming from the I-90 to exceed the state-accepted level of 67 decibels for nearby residential properties. As a result, the Thruway Authority is offering to install noise abatement barriers consisting of 4 foot high soil berms topped with 1.5 inch thick wood planks and 6 by 6 inch timber posts set in buried concrete foundations.
According to the Thruway Authority, there are 100 houses that qualify for the barriers. If at least 25 of those homeowners vote in favor of the barriers, they will be built.
Affected residents have until February 18, 2016 to vote on the proposal.
