Some residents along I-77 anxious for new noise barrier

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Residents along parts of Interstate 77 are frustrated because only a chain link fence separates their homes from the traffic and construction, and the completion date is more than one year away.

Albert Pureie has a front-row seat to all the action.

His house used to be separated from it by a brick wall, but the company building the toll lanes tore it down this month, eliminating the noise barrier.

“It's a little too loud right now,” he said.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation first wanted to tear down the wall in 2013 but City Council members objected, saying they liked how it looked.

"You're killing me on this tearing down a brick wall," former Councilman Andy Dulin said.

Last year, NCDOT signed off on 20 future noise walls along I-77.

The new sound barriers in Genesis Park won't be in place until the end of 2018.

Frank Mingo said it's extremely difficult to sleep with all the noise. He's also concerned that the chain link fence isn't enough to keep kids safe.

“A lot of children that come from the other streets in the community, and they play in the field, and that bothers us because they go all the way to the fence,” Mingo said.

The old brick wall was just for aesthetic reasons. The future wall will reduce noise levels lower than they've ever been before in the neighborhood.

While it's inconvenient now, Pureie said the wait is worth it. In the meantime, he'll hang out somewhere more peaceful.

“I'll be on the inside the house,” Pureie said.

Experts say noise walls lower the noise by 5 decibels. The company building the toll lanes didn't respond to Channel 9’s questions.

Cox Media Group