PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — A Palm Beach Gardens man who attended a recent Let's Hear It event, hoping for a solution to interstate noise and pollution near his home, is getting a partial answer from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
Patrick Hoey's home sits a few blocks west of Interstate 95, between Northlake and PGA boulevards. While he enjoys spending time in his backyard, the constant hum of traffic is never far away.
WATCH BELOW: Palm Beach Gardens resident seeks relief from I-95 noise
His neighbor, Mike Ferranti, said the pollution from the highway affects his pool.
"That thin layer of dust that you see floating on top of the pool all the time," Ferranti said.
Hoey spoke to WTPV at a recent Let's Hear It event, looking for a solution to the filth and noise.
"(The sound outside is) like I'm having stereo interstate," Hoey said.
Hoey has lived in the area for decades, so the interstate noise isn't new. But with FDOT set to make improvements on the stretch of highway between Northlake and PGA boulevards, he was hoping something could be done.
"(I would like FDOT to) complete the wall around the canal," Hoey said.
WPTV reached out to FDOT, which sent us several noise studies. The most recent was done last summer, when dozens of sound receptors were set up along the interstate.
FDOT uses 66 decibels as its Noise Abatement Criteria threshold. To put that in perspective, 60 decibels is a common outdoor sound level for a commercial area, while 40 decibels is a quiet urban night.
Based on their noise analysis, FDOT concluded there won't be added noise walls. However, the department does plan to add an opaque visual barrier where existing noise barrier gaps exist around the canal.
While the barrier is intended for aesthetics rather than noise reduction, Hoey said it's a small victory and an indirect acknowledgment of the noise issues.
Work on the Northlake Boulevard stretch of the interstate is expected to begin this summer.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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While we hold our monthly Let's Hear It meet-ups, we know many are not able to attend, but we still want to hear from you and start taking action to get you answers. You can e-mail us at LetsHearIt@wptv.com.
