Eight Lanes of Freeway Traffic Just Yards From Homes in Coeur d'Alene— With No Sound Wall. 
Would You Be Okay With That?

Residents living near Interstate 90 say the ongoing highway expansion is bringing significant noise impacts, and that despite raising concerns, they’ve been told the issue will not be addressed.

Those living near the corridor say the most severe noise will occur once all four westbound and four eastbound lanes are fully open. According to residents, they were told the increased noise was acknowledged, but that no action would be taken to reduce it. "It all comes down to being too expensive," an affected homeowner told us he was told.

Residents say they were also told the project includes a large median wall separating the eight lanes of freeway traffic, but that no sound wall is planned between the roadway and nearby neighborhoods. They point to what appears to be a sound wall constructed along Highway 95 near the Honeysuckle area — built when a bike path was added — and question why similar protection is not being provided here, despite four lanes of traffic, semi-trucks, emergency vehicles, and constant roadway noise running directly alongside homes.

The stretch of highway in question runs for nearly two miles through one of Coeur d’Alene’s oldest residential neighborhoods, placing homes just yards from the expanded freeway.

Residents have reached out to Coeur d’Alene Mayor-elect Dan Gookin seeking help and were told the matter falls under state jurisdiction, leaving the city without authority to intervene.
Although the issue has appeared in news coverage, many in the community remain unaware of the scale of the project or its impact. The information has not reached most residents and that awareness remains limited.

Signing this petition creates greater awareness in the community of the impact of this project and will hopefully convince the State of Idaho to re-evaluate their decision to not include a sound and safety barrier wall.