Concrete noise barriers preferred
by Crocker-Stearns residents
By Jeff Gallatin
North Olmsted
Published Sept. 21, 2005

Two groups of city residents have presented their own united front supporting a 13-foot concrete wall noise barrier for the upcoming $14.2 million Crocker-Stearns road project instead of a natural dirt mound advocated by Mayor Thomas O’Grady.

Residents from the Pheasants Walk Quail Run Civic Association and the West Park Forest Ridge Civic Association presented two petitions to City Council Streets Committee Chairman George Nashar with 90 signatures supporting the noise walls for protection and opposing the moving of the walls any closer to their homes. The residents, whose homes are all near the proposed barriers, also sent a follow up letter Sept. 14 reiterating their support for the concrete walls instead of the natural dirt mound barrier suggested by Mayor Thomas O’Grady as a possible alternative. When O’Grady first suggested the natural barrier earlier this month, several officials said it would take a united front to try and get the concrete barrier idea changed.

Sharon Lepore, a Quail Run resident who wrote the cover letter for the petition on behalf of the two civic groups, said the natural dirt mound barrier was considered in the early stage of the project several years ago.

“It wont’ work,” Lepore said. “It won’t meet the requirements for alleviating the decibels levels and noise near the homes.”

She said the first letter came about because of neighborhood concerns after the Aug. 30 council streets committee meeting where county officials discussed the project with city officials. Another public meeting has been set for 7 p.m. Sept. 26 in the council chambers.

Lepore said an engineer from the Cuyahoga County Engineers office came our and walked the areas which would be affected by noise from the multi-million dollar road project.

“When they did the projections and work for seeing what would bring the noise levels from the heavy traffic down to acceptable levels, they found the concrete walls would work best; the dirt mounds were talked about but they couldn’t bring stop the noise as well,” Lepore said.

Even the 13-foot height of the concrete barriers is a result of the earlier work and testing.

“They considered all the information and then set the barrier to a certain height which would meet the criteria for lowering the noise by the homes to acceptable levels,” Lepore said. “You’re talking about a tremendous amount of traffic being anticipated on those roads.”

O’Grady said his personal preference remains a natural barrier but said he would not seek it if residents are opposed to it.

“I personally find the natural mound a more attractive method. but I will not oppose the residents,” O’Grady said. “If they want the concrete walls, we’ll go with that.”

In her letter which was presented with the petitions, Lepore cited neighborhood concerns about the placement of the barriers and noise protection.

“I am especially concerned with suggestions raised to move the noise walls closer to the property lines,” she said in the letter.

“From the inception of the Crocker/Stearns Road project, our residents have been deeply concerned about the impact to our homes and properties from a four lane highway carrying 35,000 cars a day. We have always been in favor of noise walls for protection.

“Our concern is with the proximity of the noise walls to our properties. Our properties are already extremely close to the road as it is. Any suggestion to move the noise wall barriers even closer to our properties is unacceptable.

“We adamantly implore that the City Council committee withdraw any further action to push the noise walls any closer to our homes and properties.”

Lepore said both neighborhood groups were concerned about discussion by city officials asking about potential movement of the walls.

“All this work was done years ago and these were arrived at as the best possible alternatives,” Lepore said. “We don’t want the walls closer to our homes, nor do we want a dirt mound which goes into our yards or causes our remaining woods to be torn down. There’s just no room for mounds.”

Nashar said council members were merely trying to find the best plan for the city.

“If this is what the residents want, then we will go for that,” Nashar said. “We discussed other plans and ideas because there was concern about the closeness of the walls and their height. We just want to have the best possible plan because we want to get the project going on schedule next year.”

Lepore said that’s another reason to keep moving forward with the current plans.

“Remember, the county officials said the city would be responsible for paying for any major changes,” she said. “We still favor the walls and we certainly don’t want to make any changes which would alter them, add to the costs or delay work. That’s why we sent a followup letter as well.”

Safety Committee Chairman Paul Miller, who had expressed concern about pedestrians’ and bicyclists’ safety, said council is trying to find what’s best for the entire city.

“We’re trying to listen to everybody and consider everything about it,” Miller said. “Ideally, we will have a final plan with the county that has the right solution.”