The sound of silence

Nobody ever said the progress was going to painless or even easy on the ears. But that’s the realization that has been thrust upon folks in St. Tammany Parish these days, especially in Slidell where one of the state’s cornerstone construction projects is creating a mixed bag of emotions. The Department of Transportation and Development is advancing an improvement to I-12 between the interchanges of Airport Road/Northshore Boulevard and I-12/I-59/I-10. Business interests have been behind the infrastructure project since its inception and residents have been quick to follow. It both widens the stretch of interstate and modifies its existing ramps. During a public meeting last week a few new concerns were raised, like the potential noise and emissions pollution that could be created by the expansion. As a result, engineers are now developing plans for the most effective and cost-conscious sound barriers to run along easternern St. Tammany Parish. In a letter to DOTD officials, state Rep. Kevin Pearson, a Slidell Republican, writes that the issue has become an important one to locals. “After listening to the feedback given at the public hearing and the numerous e-mails and phone calls to my office, I think the expansion project must also include a sound barrier to preserve the quality of life in neighborhoods and residential zones bordering this heavily-traveled Interstate,” writes Pearson. – Jeremy Alford