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Noise Barriers

Noise Barriers Confirmation Analysis

WisDOT completed a full noise analysis during the preliminary design and the environmental documentation phase of the I-41 Project.

The results, along with proposed barrier locations, were published in the I-41 Project Environmental Assessment and at the public hearing in 2021.

Six new noise barriers and one existing noise barrier (between WIS 47 and Meade Street) were determined to be reasonable and feasible (see map below).

Map of the I-41 Project area showing six locations for proposed noise barriers and location of existing barrier.

As the project heads into final design, WisDOT will confirm the noise analysis findings using the final designs of the highway, including any updates to the alignment, height of the road and drainage features.

Confirmation of the noise analysis is a key step, as it optimizes the details of the proposed barriers, enables minor adjustments to accommodate site conditions, and evaluates options for potential cost savings.

Public Input

After the noise analysis is confirmed and the final barrier layouts for each barrier are complete, WisDOT will mail voting materials – noise barrier meeting invitation, location map, and a ballot – to benefited property owners and tenants located in the immediate vicinity of each proposed barrier.

Benefited receptors will be asked to vote to confirm whether the barrier should be constructed as part of the I-41 Project.

A simple majority of votes will determine whether WisDOT constructs the barrier.

What's Next?

Finalize design and complete confirmation of noise analysis

Benefited property owners and tenants receive ballots

Meet with owners tenants living near proposed barriers

Ballots due; tabulate votes for proposed barriers

Noise Barriers: Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this section of I-41 need to be reconstructed?
What is an environmental assessment?
What is a Finding of No Significant Impact?
What is a system interchange?
What is a service interchange?
What is an auxiliary lane?
What is a collector-distributor road?
Is the current posted 70 mph speed limit on the Interstate too fast, given the congestion and safety issues?
Do WisDOT and local law enforcement have response strategies for clearing the roadway after crashes to prevent secondary crashes and major congestion?
Why will it take so long before construction starts?
How will WisDOT handle traffic during lengthy construction?
Why didn’t you make it six lanes during the last project in Brown County and finish it then?
Will the project require real estate to be purchased?
Will the department be evaluating noise impacts with the project?
Is the project consistent with long-range community transportation plans?
Where can I find more information on Brown County’s South Bridge Connector Project?
Why does the project include the Wrightstown Safety and Weight Enforcement Facility and new State Patrol Headquarters?
Which overpasses will the project replace?
What is a diverging diamond interchange and why was it selected for some of the project interchanges?
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