Fox Valley residents to vote on 9 noise barriers as part of I-41 expansion between Grand Chute, De Pere

Sophia Voight, Appleton Post-Crescent
Updated ·3 min read
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation identified nine areas noise to be installed along Interstate 41.

GRAND CHUTE - Fox Valley residents along Interstate 41 will get to vote if noise barriers will be installed when the interstate expands from four to six lanes.

Over 800 households from Grand Chute to De Pere received a ballot from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in December asking if they want noise barriers installed near their neighborhood.

The reason for the ballots is because highway alteration projects are required to include a traffic noise analysis and any noise barriers added to the project must be approved by nearby property owners — hence the public vote.

Residents will only get to vote on the installation of noise barriers by their homes and must return ballots by Feb. 23.

The cost of a new noise barrier is part of the project, and homeowners will not be responsible for their cost.

Any noise barriers that receive a majority vote will be added to the expansion project.

Residents wanting to learn more about the noise barriers can attend the public hearing on them from 5 to 8 p.m. Jan. 23 at Fox Valley Technical College.

Nine noise barriers could be installed

The DOT determined nine feasible noise barriers along the 23-mile stretch of I-41. Here's where they could be placed:

  • North and south side of I-41 between Capitol Drive and Lynndale Drive.

  • South side of I-41 between Lynndale Drive and Richmond Street.

  • North side of I-41 between Lynndale Drive and Fox Valley & Lake Superior Railroad.

  • North side of I-41 between Richmond Street and Meade Street.

  • South side of I-41 between Meade Street and Ballard Road.

  • South side of I-41 between Rose Hill Road and Delanglade Street.

  • South side of I-41 between Wrightstown Road and Peterlynn Road.

  • South side of I-41 between Larry Lane and French Court.

Barriers would likely be 16 feet and made of a lightweight concrete barrier, similar to what has been constructed along I-41 in Brown County, according to the I-41 Project Environmental Assessment.

Each barrier is supposed to reduce the noise highway noise for neighboring homes by 8 decibels. Without a barrier, levels of highway traffic noise typically range from 70 to 80 decibels, according to the DOT.

I-41 expansion construction set to begin in April

Over the next few years, the 23-mile stretch of interstate between Grand Chute and De Pere will expand to three lanes in each direction.

Before expanding the lanes, the DOT plans to change some exits along the stretch of highway.

Construction will begin in April with the closing of Capitol Drive and Rose Hill Road overpasses so construction crews can begin working on the nearby exits. Both overpasses will be closed from spring to fall.

The nearby Northland Avenue exit will close in summer to prepare for the new diverging diamond interchange. Traffic will be impacted, but the interchange won't be fully closed.

And the Freedom Road exit in Little Chute will be closed between mid-summer through fall to reconstruct it into a diamond interchange with traffic signals.

More: Construction on I-41 expansion and new roundabouts are coming to Outagamie County in 2024

Sophia Voight covers local government and politics in the Fox Valley for The Post-Crescent. She can be reached with feedback and story tips at svoight@postcrescent.com.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Residents can vote on installation of Interstate 41 noise barriers