Date:  Monday, June 07, 2010

Contact: Mike Murphy, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4699 (Seattle)

SEATTLE – Contractors working for the Washington State Department of Transportation begin work Wednesday, June 9, on a pilot project to install specially designed panels to absorb traffic noise from the I-5 express lanes in Seattle. During the next several months, Penhall Company construction crews will hang more than 700 of these panels from the ceiling at the south end of the Ship Canal Bridge.

“This study provides us an opportunity to test materials, ideas and innovations that will not only reduce noise locally, but may be applied in the future to areas across the state,” said WSDOT engineer, Dave Becher.

Noise panels

We are testing a noise-reducing technology that is made of a lightweight material - in this case, similar to a blanket. This type of material is typically installed on ceilings to absorb noise in a variety of environments, including classrooms and theaters. Since a ceiling treatment like this is not typically used on transportation structures, we will install a test section on the ceiling above the lower deck of the I-5 Ship Canal Bridge and monitor it for at least three years to evaluate its effectiveness.

The 500-foot test section will consist of approximately 700 4-foot by 8-foot panels attached to the south end of the express lane ceiling. The Ship Canal Bridge provides an opportunity for us to investigate innovative ways to reduce noise when faced with several challenges including noise on a double-deck structure, noise moving over water, and reflective noise.
WSDOT worked with noise experts to develop the pilot study and come up with a configuration of panels that would best address the noise challenges. This study will provide an opportunity to validate the computer models and determine the true effectiveness of the noise panels in this environment.
Over the next several months, crews will install the panels in a 500-foot-long section of I-5 between E. Allison Street and E. Gwinn Place.

When the work is complete by the end of the year, we expect residents closest to the test section to experience a noticeable difference in noise levels.

In 2005, the legislature earmarked $7 million to evaluate noise reduction options in the heart of Seattle next to the Ship Canal Bridge. The funds were used to research ways to reduce reflective noise on a double-decked structure near water and what durable materials might be appropriate for installation. The funds are allocated to include installation of the panels, as well as noise monitoring to determine their effectiveness.

For more information on this project please go to: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/i5/ShipCanalBridge/.

Noise reduction innovation
 
Highway traffic noise can interfere with sleep, work and other daily activities during the day and night, and is a concern for many residents living along state highways.

Some of the ways we have worked to reduce noise include the construction of noise walls and testing innovative ideas like quieter concrete and quieter asphalt. We use tools like noise dampening blankets during construction and reduce noise levels from back up alarms. In response to community concerns, we also close the I-5 express lanes at night to reduce the reverberating noise from the double decked structure.

To learn more about WSDOT’s noise program, go to: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Environment/Air/Noise.htm  

Lane closures
 
Drivers will see single lane closures on the I-5 express lanes during the day between June 9 and October. Crews will also close sections of the sidewalk underneath the bridge between E. Allison Street and E. Gwinn Place to protect pedestrians from construction debris. We expect this construction to have a minor impact on traffic.

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