Noise Barriers On I-894 In Greenfield: Common Council Signals Support

GREENFIELD, WI — The Greenfield Common Council on Tuesday adopted a resolution supporting the installation of new noise barrier walls along the city's freeway system, which mainly comprises Interstate 894.

The resolution comes ahead of a Wisconsin Department of Transportation maintenance project on much of the highway which includes resurfacing and other infrastructure updates; though, the listed plans don't include installing new noise barriers. An informational meeting for the 2023 construction is scheduled for Monday evening at Greenfield City Hall.

A council resolution summary said the city's growing population and businesses "are negatively impacted by loud noise caused by increasing high freeway traffic volumes." The summary also noted the several repairs and improvements planned for the upcoming construction, but continued, "this 2023 improvement project needs to address all deficiencies within the corridor for the next 15 to 20 years, including noise."

"The City of Greenfield requests and strongly encourages the installation of noise barrier walls along the freeway system within Greenfield," reads the adopted resolution, which also went on to request traffic mitigation on the freeway and ramps to reduce congestion and impact on local streets.

Just one resident spoke at Tuesday's meeting, Janet Janicek, who told the council she was "happy" to see the council looking for a sound barrier. Janicek — who said she lived four houses away from the freeway — noted that the resolution should also include safety as a factor amid traffic and wildlife.

"God bless drivers," Janicek said, "but they're crazy lately."

"I myself experienced a pickup truck, believe it or not, came off 894 going east, went under the chainlink fence, crossed 51st Street, went across my yard at an angle, took out two trees," Janicek told the council. The truck ended up hitting a house across another street, she said.

After the citizen comment, Mayor Michael J. Neitzke jumped ahead to the resolution and requested that the draft be changed to note safety. Neitzke remarked that it was especially relevant after a snow plow driver died in a crash on the highway.

The resolution passed, and soon after, Neitzke remarked on the importance of Monday's WisDOT meeting for those advocating for the barriers. During the meeting, the mayor added that he was in talks with local State Rep. Bob Donovan about the matter.

Dan Sellers, the southeast region communications manager for WisDOT, pointed toward a brochure about noise barrier policies in place in Wisconsin.

"WisDOT has a written noise policy that is applied consistently throughout Wisconsin and has been approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)," wrote Sellers in a statement to Patch. "A noise analysis is conducted along a highway when there is a proposed action that qualifies as a Type 1 project as defined in WisDOT’s written noise policy. This year’s upcoming resurfacing project along I-894 is not a Type 1 project, therefore a noise analysis will not be conducted."